^JUN    5    1957  _^ 

T)5Z82.5 


J^   fahtS^ 


Light   and   Life   from   the  Bc-'t    of    Revelation 


"Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the 
words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  those  things  which  are 
written   therein:  for  the  time  is  at  hand."     Rev.   1:3. 


\ 


JUN    5    1957 


J    Jljjjltt    Elt;^   J^if:e   firitm  tke    ;| 

i 


By 

J.     F.     HAGER 

Second    Edition   Revised 
1915 

Can    be    Purchased    of 

J.     F.    HAGER,    Pandora,   Ohio 

*     *     * 


Printed    at 


SCOTTDALE 


PENNSYLVANIA 


liii 


PREFACE 

Dear  Reader  and  Co-laborer  for  the 
kingdom  of  God:  The  contents  of  this  book 
are  designed  for  no  other  nurpose  than  to 
strengthen  thy  faith  and  to  encourage  thee 
in  the  good  work  for  our  Master  Jesus 
Christ,  to  lift  up  the  Church  of  Christ  and 
fallen  humanity  out  of  defilement  and  sin, 
to  the  high  place  of  our  calling  and  inherit- 
ance in  Christ  Jesus.  The  author  has  been 
a  lover  of  the  Bible  from  youth  and  for 
many  years  has  been  a  student  of  the  same. 
He  was  called  of  God  to  the  ministry  of  the 
Gospel  in  1890  and  later  on  ordained  by 
man  and  by  the  Holy  Spirit  for  that  service. 
In  writing  this  book  on  the  Revelation,  the 
author  realized  beyond  doubt  that  the  light 
which  he  received  to  give  unto  others  was 
in  answer  to  the  prayers  and  labors  of  all 
the  saints  of  God.  The  reader  and  seeker 
for  the  truth  will  undoubtedly  receive  new 
light  by   reading  this  little  work   and   be 


6  PREFACE 

benefited  for  his  personal  salvation  as  well 
as  to  save  and  establish  others.  But  he  is 
kindly  warned  to  give  all  honor  to  our 
Heavenly  Father  and  to  our  Savior  Jesus 
Christ,  and  to  the  Holy  Spirit  who  is  teach- 
er of  us  all.  If  you  get  new  light  by  read- 
ing this  little  work  (which  you  will)  please 
do  not  forget  the  good  you  have  received  of 
others.  Many  have  labored  for  us  either  by 
prayers  or  personal  labors  through  good  ad- 
vice, testimony,  sermons  or  books.  Re- 
member them.  We  as  servants  of  God  and 
members  of  the  body  of  Christ,  but  also 
members  one  of  another,  complete  one  an- 
other. We  have  erred  in  teaching  the  truth, 
probably  all  more  or  less  in  the  past,  but  the 
Master  has  given  us  a  comfort  when  he 
said:  ''Every  branch  that  beareth  fruit  he 
(the  Father)  cleanseth  it  that  it  may  bear 
more  fruit." 

The  words  of  warning  in  Hosea  4:6 
and  the  words  of  instruction  in  II  Tim.  2:15 
by  the  apostle  may  be  added  here,  "My  peo- 
ple are  destroyed  for  the  lack  of  knowl- 
edge:   because  thou   hast  rejected   knowl- 


PREFACE  7 

edge,  I  will  also  reject  thee,  that  thou  shalt 
be  no  priest  unto  me:  seeing  thou  hast  for- 
gotten the  law  of  thy  God,  I  also  will  forget 
thy  children."  "Give  diligence  to  present 
thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  workman  that 
needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  handling  aright 
the  word  of  truth." 

There  is  no  error  in  this  book  accord- 
ing to  my  knowledge,  but  I  unhesitatingly 
say  that  it  is  not  perfect.  May  God  through 
His  Spirit  of  truth  protect  the  reader  if 
there  should  be  any  error  in  it,  but  on  the 
other  hand,  bless  the  reader  through  the 
truth  it  contains.  The  author  with  this 
work  rejoiced  greatly  to  find  himself  under 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb  which  cleanses  us 
from  all  our  sins,  from  our  sins  of  ignor- 
ance as  well  as  from  our  other  sins.  I  send 
this  little  work  abroad  in  good  faith  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  God's  will  who  gave  me 
this  talent  as  a  means  of  service  in  His  vine- 
yard. 

John  F.  Hager. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

I  This  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  is  tlie 
Father's  gift  to  His  Son  and  His  ser- 
vants. Its  .  purpose :  The  glorified 
Christ  revealed.  11 

n     The  messages   to   the   churches   in   Eph- 

esus,   Smyrna,   Pergamum,  Thyatira.       27 
HI     The  messages  to  the  churches  in  vSardis, 

Philadelphia,  and  Laodicea.  56 

IV     The  open  door  into  heaven.     The  secret 
powers  of  God  revealed  to  God's  ser- 
vants. *  78 
V     The  overcomer  for  the  Church  of  God 
revealed.     All  servants  of  God  and  all 
living   things    praise    him,    because    he 
was  worthy  to  open  the  seven  seals  on 
that  book.                                                      101 
VI     The  opening  of  the  first  six  seals.             116 
VII     The  sealing  of  God's  sei-vants  to  protect 

them   from  the   coming  plagues.  125 

VIII     The  secret  power  for  God's  servants  re- 
vealed.   The  sounding  of  the  first  four 
trumpets,  with  plagues.  149 


CONTENTS  9 

IX  The  sounding  of  the  5th  and  6th  trum- 
pet followed  with  great  plagues  upon 
the  unsealed  people.  161 

X  The  mighty  angel  from  heaven  which 
brings  the  time  of  grace  to  a  close  and 
gives  the  church  a  little  open  book  to 
eat  and  to  prophesy  it.  169 

XI  The  two  witnesses,  who  they  are  accord- 
ing to  their  names.  The  sounding  of 
the  seventh  trumpet.  178 

XII  The  woman  clothed  in  the  sun.  The 
man-child.  Who  they  probably  are. 
The  war  in  heaven.  The  devil  defeat- 
ed. The  victory  of  God's  people  at 
hand.  201 

XIII     The  kingdom  of  the  anti-Christ  and  false 

prophet  revealed.  219 

XIV  The  first  fruits,  the  144,000.  The  earth 
is  reaped.  The  clusters  of  the  earth 
are  fully  ripe  for  the  great  wine-press 
of  God.  The  blood  of  the  last  mar- 
tyrs. 243 
XV  The  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb  on 
the  glassy  sea.  The  Temple  in  heaven 
opened.  The  seven  angels  with  the 
seven  bowls  of  God's  wrath.  261 

XVI  The  seven  angels  from  heaven  pour  out 
their  bowls  full  of  God's  wrath  upon 
the  earth.  269 


10  CONTENTS 

XVII  The  mother  of  harlots,  the  great  harlot 

of   Babylon  revealed.  280 

XVIII  The    command    to    God's    people — come 

out  of  Babylon.     The  great  judgment 
of  the  harlot  revealed.  294 

XIX  The  ^'four-fold"  Hallelujahs.  The  wife 
of  the  Lamb  has  made  herself  ready. 
The  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb. 
The  coming  of  Christ  with  His  armies 
from  heaven.  The  great  fall  and  judg- 
ment of  the  anti-Christ's  kingdom.  309 
XX  The  binding  of  Satan  by  the  angel  from 
heaven.  The  first  Resurrection  and 
reign  of  Christ  with  His  saints  for  a 
thousand  years.  The  last  judgment. 
The  last  resurrection.  Heaven  and 
earth  disappear.  323 

XXI  The  new  heaven,  and  the  new  earth, 
with  no  sea.  The  city  of  God,  the  new 
Jerusalem  coming  down  from  heaven.  341 
XXII  The  river  of  life  and  the  tree  of  Hfe. 
The  warning.  The  last  general  invita- 
tion— Come  and  take  the  water  of  life 
freely.  General  remarks.  Personal 
testimony  of  Christ's  'Salvation.  358 


CHAPTER  I 

THIS  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST 

IS   THE   FATHER'S   GIFT  TO   HIS 

SON  AND  HIS  SERVANTS.  ITS 

PURPOSES  ;THE  GLORIFIED 

CHRIST    REVEALED 

Rev.  1  :l-3.  The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ, 
which  God  gave  him  to  show  unto  his  servants,  even 
the  things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass :  and  he 
sent  and  signified  it  by  his  angel  unto  his  servant 
John;  2  who  bare  witness  of  the  word  of  God,  and 
of  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,  even  of  all  things 
that  he  saw.  3  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they 
that  hear  the  words  of  the  prophecy,  and  keep  the 
things  that  are  written  therein:  for  the  time  is  at 
hand. 

Remarks. — This  Revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  gift  of  the  Father  to  His  be- 
loved Son.  The  wish  of  the  Father  is  that 
Jesus  Christ  should  show  it  to  His  servants. 
This  Revelation  is  given  us  to  see.  It  is 
very  important.  Even  the  Father  wants  us 
to  see  and  know  it  because  it  must  shortly 
come  to  pass.    Before  God  brings  His  pro- 


12  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

phecies  into  fulfilmment  He  reveals  His  se- 
crets to  His  servants.  "Surely  the  Lord  Je- 
hovah will  do  nothing,  except  He  reveal  his 
secret  unto  his  servants  the  prophets"  (A- 
mos  3:7).  Our  loving  father  in  heaven  has 
therefore  revealed  to  us,  His  whole  secret 
in  this  little  book,  called  the  Revelation  of 
Jesus  Christ.  That  which  eye  has  not  seen 
(in  times  past)  nor  ear  heard,  nor  has  it  en- 
tered into  the  heart  of  man — the  thing 
which  God  has  prepared  for  them  that  love 
Him — He  has  now  revealed  to  us  in  the 
prophecies  and  especially  in  this  Revela- 
tion. We  thank  Thee,  Our  Holy  Father, 
for  revealing  us  thy  Son  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment through  many  offerings  and  types  and 
then  revealing  Him  unto  us  in  His  person 
in  the  four  Gospels,  and  in  the  book  of  the 
Acts  and  in  the  many  epistles;  but  we 
thank  thee  especially  for  revealing  us  thy 
Son  so  fully  in  this  blessed  Revelation.  We 
know  that  thy  Word  is  true  as  Thou  hast 
said  here, — "Blessed  is  he  that  readeth  and 
they  that  hear  the  words  of  the  prophecy 
and  keep  the  things  that  are  written  there- 


THE    BOOK    OF     REVELATION 


13 


in:  for  the  time  is  at  hand."  We  have  been 
blessed  by  reading  and  keeping  it.  The 
Christian  is  not  fully  blessed,  nor  fully 
armed  against  the  enemy,  nor  needfully 
gifted  with  knowledge  to  inherit  the  second 
coming  of  Christ  if  he  does  not  read  and 
keep  these  prophecies  in  this  Revelation. 
Have  we  as  servants  of  God  been  true  to 
our  Father's  wish  by  reading  and  keeping 
these  prophecies?  The  blessing  is  given  to 
those  who  read  it  or  hear  it  and  keep  it.  It 
does  not  say,  Blessed  is  he  that  under- 
stands these  prophecies,  although  the  un- 
derstanding of  it  brings  to  us  a  still  greater 
blessing;  but  the  blessing  is  pronounced 
upon  the  ones  who  read,  hear  and  keep 
them.  Those  who  do  that  will  be  able  to 
understand.  The  Holy  Spirit  will  unfold 
these  precious  prophecies  in  due  time  to  the 
one  who  honors  God  in  reading  or  hearing 
and  keeping  them.  Why  should  God  not 
cause  us  to  understand  these  prophecies, 
since  these  prophecies  are  the  way  laid  out 
before  us  through  which  we  will  be  led: 
yea,  through  which  we  must  be  led.     The 


14  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Church  of  Christ  is  led  through  the  way 
laid  out  in  this  Revelation.  This  is  the  sure 
way  through  which  we  must  go.  Hence, 
how  important  to  see  it  clearly;  how  need- 
ful to  read  it  or  at  least  to  hear  it  and  then 
also  to  keep  it.  To  do  this  is  wisdom  for 
any  Christian. 

The  minister  of  a  congregation  that 
reads  these  prophecies  to  his  flock  is  a 
blessing  to  them  and  by  this  act  is  doing 
God's  will.  If  this  Revelation  is  the  un- 
changeable way  through  which  we  must 
travel,  how  important  then  to  read  and  keep 
and  explain  it  as  far  as  God  has  given  us 
light.  He  who  has  honored  the  Old  Testa- 
ment in  reading  it  through  with  careful 
meditation  and  has  also  honored  Christ  in 
reading  and  accepting  the  whole  of  the 
New  Testament  teaching  to  obey  Christ  in 
all  His  commandments  and  especially  in 
His  new  commandment  of  love  to  the 
brethren,  he  who  has  done  that,  will  be 
honored  of  God  to  understand  the  book  of 
Revelation.  O,  my  dear  brethren,  see  to  it 
that  you  keep  the  commandment  of  love  to 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  15 

the  brethren  in  order  to  remain  in  the  light 
and  to  get  into  the  full  light  of  God's  Word. 
For  the  love  to  your  faithful  or  fallen 
brother  in  your  own  or  any  other  congrega- 
tion of  a  Christian  spirit  is  required  of  God 
to  reveal  you  Christ  and  the  Father  as  re- 
vealed in  the  whole  Bible,  but  especially  in 
Revelation.  Jesus  says,  "He  that  hath  my 
commandments  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is 
that  loveth  me;  and  he  that  loveth  me  shall 
be  loved  of  my  Father,  and  1  will  love  him 
and  will  manifest  myself  unto  him" — ''If  a 
man  love  me  he  will  keep  my  word  and  my 
Father  will  love  him  and  we  will  come  unto 
him  and  make  our  abode  with  him"  (John 
14:21,  23).  'This  is  my  commandment  that 
ye  love  one  another  even  as  1  have  loved 
you.  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this, 
that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends" 
(John  15:12,  13).  The  apostle  John  says, 
*'He  that  loveth  his  brother  abideth  in  the 
light  and  there  is  no  occasion  of  stumbling 
in  him.  But  he  that  hateth  his  brother  is 
in  the  darkness,  and  walketh  in  the  dark- 
ness, and  knoweth  not  whither  he  goeth,  be- 


i6  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

cause  darkness  hath  blinded  his  eyes"  (I 
John  2:10,  11).  ''Hereby  know  we  love,  be- 
cause he  laid  down  his  life  for  us:  and  we 
ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  breth- 
ren" (I  John  3:16). 

Oh,  brother,  have  we  consecrated  our- 
selves in  obedience  to  the  above  passages? 
If  so,  then  we  have  become  worthy  in 
Christ  to  understand  the  prophecies  in  Re- 
velation. This  book  of  Revelation  shows  us 
the  sure  victory  of  all  God's  people  and  the 
certain  defeat  and  judgment  of  all  our 
enemies.  The  victory  for  the  church  of 
Christ  is  shown  to  us  here  in  Revelation. 
Therefore  it  says  in  our  text  above — "Bless- 
ed is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the 
words  of  the  prophecy,  and  keep  the  things 
that  are  written  therein:  for  the  time  is  at 
hand."  Let  us  remember  what  the  highest 
authority  says:  "The  time  is  at  hand."  Let 
us  not  look  into  the  far  future  for  the 
fulfilment  of  these  prophecies,  but  let  us 
believe  according  as  the  Holy  Spirit  Him- 
self has  spoken  and  caused  to  be  written, 
'The  time  is  at  hand." 


THE     BOOK    OF    REVELATION  17 

Rev-  1  :4-7.  John  to  the  seven  churches  that  are 
in  Asia :  Grace  to  you  and  peace,  from  him  who  is 
and  who  was  and  who  is  to  come;  and  from  the 
seven  Spirits  that  are  before  his  throne;  5  and  from 
Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  faithful  witness,  the  first- 
born of  the  dead,  and  the  ruler  of  the  kings  of  tlie 
earth.  Unto  him  that  loveth  us,  and  loosed  us  from 
our  sins  by  his  blood;  6  and  he  made  us  to  be  a 
kingdom,  to  be  priests  unto  his  God  and  Father;  to 
him  be  the  glory  and  the  dominion  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen.  7  Behold,  he  cometh  with  the  clouds;  and 
every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  that  pierced  him; 
and  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  shall  mourn  over  him. 
Even  so,  Amen. 

Remarks  on  the  above  passage:  The 
Apostle  John  is  addressing  this  revelation 
to  the  seven  churches  in  Asia  and  sends 
them  greetings  from  the  Father  and  the 
seven  Spirits  and  from  Jesus  Christ.  We 
need  to  bear  in  mind  that  this  greeting  and 
all  that  he  wrote  for  the  seven  churches  in 
Asia  has  God  also  directed  to  us  and  to 
every  church  or  single  person  on  earth  who 
can  read  or  hear  these  words.  They  are  for 
the  present  age  as  well  as  for  the  past  and 
future.  It  is  the  same  as  with  the  epistles 
that  the  apostles  wrote.  They  directed  their 


i8  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

letters  to  one  particular  church  like  the 
letter  to  the  church  at  Rome,  at  Corinth,  at 
Ephesus  and  so  on  but  God  turned  their 
writings  over  to  us  also.  So  likewise  with 
the  messages  to  the  seven  churches  here  in 
Revelation  and  with  the  whole  book.  We 
are  the  heirs  of  their  labors.  We  reap  the 
blessing  of  their  prayers  as  they  prayed  for 
the  sanctification  of  the  church  and  its  com- 
pleteness in  number.  Notice  how  Christ  is 
revealed  in  the  above  verses  as  having 
loved  us  and  washed  us  from  sin  by  His 
blood  and  make  us  a  kingdom,  priests  unto 
His  God  and  Father.  O  dear  reader,  do  you 
really  hold  fast  to  His  works  as  shown 
here?  Are  you  in  this  rest  of  Christ's 
works?  Or  are  you  yet  in  your  own  works 
trying  to  get  better  and  always  failing  in 
your  efforts?  Making  new  resolutions  every 
year  and  yet  at  the  end  of  the  year  you  are 
no  further  along  in  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness than  at  the  beginning  of  the  year. 
"For  we  who  have  believed  do  enter  into 
that  rest"  (Heb.  4:3).  We  enter  by  faith 
into  the  rest  of  Christ's  works  as  shown 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  19 

here  in  Rev.  1 :5,  6  that  we  are  washed  from 
our  sins  by  His  blood  and  that  it  is  He,  who 
pyade  us  a  kingdom,  priests  unto  His  God 
and  Father.  This  work  is  done,  finished  by 
Christ  once  for  all  and  forever  for  those 
who  believe  on  Him  as  this  and  many  other 
scriptures  say  of  Him.  "For  by  one  offering 
he  has  perfected  forever  them  that  are 
sanctified"  (Heb.  10:14).  Remember  that 
your  unbelief  in  Christ's  finished  work  is 
your  sin  between  you  and  God.  Think 
of  the  Israelites  who  had  been  gloriously 
saved  out  of  Egypt  (the  world)  but  after- 
ward failed  to  believe  in  all  the  promises 
and  prophecies  of  God  who  wanted  to  exalt 
them  to  a  kingdom  of  priests  and  because 
of  their  unbelief  they  were  punished  by 
death  in  the  wilderness  and  never  entered 
into  the  promised  rest.  See  Ex.  19:5,  6  and 
Heb.  3:15-19.  We  are  warned  not  to  make 
the  same  mistake  that  after  we  have  been 
saved  and  have  rejoiced  in  the'  pardon  of 
our  sins,  which  the  Holy  Spirit  witnessed 
in  our  hearts,  we  have  failed  to  advance  in- 
to the  finished  work  of  Christ  by  faith.    For 


20  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

in  the  above  scripture  Christ  has  not  mere- 
ly pardoned  our  sins  but  washed  us  from 
our  sins  and  made  us  a  kingdom  of  priests. 
We  are  made  worthy  in  Him  to  be  citizens 
of  God's  kingdom  and  to  be  priests  unto 
God.  He  who  holds  fast  Christ's  work  by 
faith  and  has  made  a  consecration  to  serve 
Him,  will  make  progress  in  his  life  to  obey 
God  and  to  bear  good  fruit.  I  can  only 
become  that  in  my  life  upon  earth  in 
bringing  forth  good  works  as  I  see  by 
knowledge  and  faith  that  I  am  made  already 
in  Christ  as  my  Creator.  Let  us  always 
bear  in  mind  that  in  the  new  covenant  we 
are  placed  under  the  law  of  FAITH.  Faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  our  righteous- 
ness (Rom.  4:4)  and  unbelief  in  Christ  is 
the  condemning  sin.  "He  that  disbelieveth 
shall  be  damned"  (Mark  16:16).  Oh  what 
a  harm  we  do  to  ourselves  and  to  our 
families  if  we  do  not  believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  as  the  Scripture  says.  Re- 
member Israel  at  Kadesh-barnea ;  almost  at 
the  end  of  their  journey  to  the  promised 
land  and  then  failed  to  enter  in  because  of 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  21 

their  unbelief.  This  happened  to  them  for 
our  warning.  O  let  us  therefore  take  this 
warning  and  be  perfect  believers  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  He  has  surely 
washed  us  from  our  sins  by  His  blood  and 
made  us  a  kingdom  of  priests  to  His  God 
and  Father.  Yea  let  us  believe  this  for  us 
as  parents  and  for  our  children  as  well,  that 
the  blessing  of  Christ's  work  come  upon  us 
and  our  children.  Let  us  be  righteous  in 
faith  in  Christ  so  that  God  may  seal  us  with 
His  Spirit  to  inherit  His  kingdom  and  that 
He  may  give  us  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  for 
the  service  of  God,  according  to  His  prom- 
ise. "I  will  pour  forth  of  my  Spirit  upon  all 
flesh   and"  your   sons   and  your   daughters 

shall  prophesy  And  on  my  servants 

and  on  my  handmaidens  in  those  days  will 
I  pour  forth  of  my  Spirit  and  they  shall 
prophesy"  (Acts  2:17,  18).  Since  we  are 
finished  in  Christ  for  the  kingdom  and 
priesthood  of  God,  therefore  are  we  ready 
for  His  coming.  We  have  entered  into  His 
finished  work  by  faith  and  are  consecrated 
to  do  His  will,  therefore  we  can  believe  on 


22  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

His  immediate  coming.  The  Apostle  John 
in  the  above  passage  sees  Christ's  work  for 
all  His  own  and  therefore  he  sees  also  His 
coming  to  set  up  His  kingdom.  "Behold 
he  Cometh  with  the  clouds"  to  take  his  own 
to  Himself,  who  have  the  faith  in  His 
works,  then  to  set  up  His  kingdom  in  due 
time.  He  comes  first  with  the  clouds  as  a 
thief  to  take  His  own  from  the  earth  to  the 
marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  according  to 
Matt.  25:1-13,  I  Thess.  4:15-18.  After  the 
marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  when  He  shall 
have  organized  all  His  own  then  shall  He 
come  with  all  His  saints  and  angels  to  take 
in  the  kingdom  of  this  world  according  to 
Psalm  2  and  Rev.  19:6-21;    20:1-6. 

Rev.  1 :8.  I  am  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  saith 
the  Lord  God,  who  is  and  who  was  and  who  is  to 
come,  the  Almighty. 

Remarks:  Alpha  is  the  first  letter  of 
the  Greek  alphabet  and  Omega  is  the  last 
letter.  God  himself  is  all.  He  is  the  whole 
alphabet  of  God's  righteousness.  We  are 
nothing,  not  one  single  letter  nor  even  a 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  23 

dot.  Now  dear  reader,  look  away  from 
yourself,  from  your  bad  works  and  from 
your  good  works  and  look  into  Christ's 
work  alone  and  you  will  please  God  and 
defeat  the  devil.  We  are  covered  with 
Christ's  righteousness  (Isa.  61:10).  That 
is  our  wedding  robe.  In  it  we  are  accepted 
of  God.  If  we  have  on  us  Christ's  right- 
eousness, the  devil  has  lost  all  power  to 
accuse  us  before  God.  In  it  we  are  ready 
for  His  coming.  God  is  for  us  now;  He 
was  for  us  in  the  past  as  He  will  come  for 
us  to  take  us  unto  Himself.  Praise  His  dear 
name  forever  and  forever.  Amen  and  Amen. 

Rev.  1 :9-20.  I  John,  your  brother  and  partaker 
with  you  in  the  tribulation  and  kingdom  and  patience 
which  are  in  Jesus,  was  in  the  isle  that  is  called  Pat- 
mos,  for  the  word  of  God  and  the  testimony  of 
Jesus.  10  I  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and 
I  heard  behind  me  a  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet  11 
saying,  What  thou  seest,  write  in  a  book  and  send  it 
to  the  seven  churches:  unto  Ephesus,  and  untc 
Smyrna,  and  unto  Pergamum,  and  unto  Thyatira, 
and  unto  Sardis,  and  unto  Philadelphia,  and  unto 
Laodicea.  12  And  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that 
spake   with   me.      And   having   turned   I    saw   seven 


24  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

golden  candlesticks;  13  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
candlesticks  one  like  unto  a  son  of  man,  clothed 
with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the 
breasts  with  a  golden  girdle.  14  And  his  head  and 
his  hair  were  white  as  white  wool,  white  as  snow; 
and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire ;  15  and  his  feet  like 
unto  burnished  brass,  as  if  it  had  been  refined  in  a 
furnace;  and  his  voice  as  the  voice  of  many  waters. 
16  And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars:  and 
out  of  his  mouth  proceeded  a  sharp  two-edged 
sword:  and  his  countenance  was  as  the  sun  shineth 
in  his  strength.  17  And  when  I  saw  him,  I  fell  at 
his  feet  as  one  dead-  And  he  laid  his  right  hand 
upon  me,  saying.  Fear  not;  I  am  the  first  and  the 
last,  18  and  the  Living  one;  and  I  was  dead,  and 
behold,  I  am  alive  for  evermore,  and  I  have  the  keys 
of  death  and  of  Hades.  19  Write  therefore  the 
things  which  thou  sawest,  and  the  things  which  are, 
and  the  things  which  shall  come  to  pass  hereafter;  20 
the  mystery  of  the  seven  stars  which  thou  sawest  in 
my  right  hand,  and  the  seven  golden  candlesticks. 
The  seven  stars  are  the  angels  of  the  seven  churches : 
and  the  seven  candlesticks  are  seven  churches. 

Remarks:  The  above  passage  needs  no 
explanation.  Just  one  or  two  thoughts 
about  the  glorified  Christ  as  the  head  of 
the  Church.  He  walks  in  the  midst  of  the 
seven  candlesticks:  and  these  seven  candle- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  25 

Sticks  represent  His  Church.  He  holds  the 
seven  stars,  which  are  the  shepherds  or 
bishops  of  the  churches,  in  his  right  hand. 
Who  will  rob  his  own  out  of  his  hand? 
Notice  his  glorified  body  and  then  think 
that  we  are  to  be  like  him  when  he  shall 
appear  again.  "For  our  citizenship  is  in 
heaven:  whence  also  we  wait  for  our 
Saviour  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  who  shall 
fashion  anew  the  body  of  our  humiliation 
that  it  may  be  conformed  to  the  body  of  his 
glory:  according  to  the  working  whereby  he 
is  able  even  to  subject  all  things  unto 
himself"  (Phil.  3:20,  21).  He  has  the  keys 
of  death  and  of  Hades.  Since  he  walks  in 
our  midst  and  holds  his  servants  and  his 
sheep  in  his  hands  and  has  the  keys  of 
death  and  Hades,  whom  do  we  need  to 
fear?  He  delivered  us  from  all  our  enemies 
as  David,  in  a  typical  way,  delivered  Israel 
from  all  their  enemies  and  brought  the 
people  of  God  into  rest.  David  never  lost 
a  battle:  neither  did  Christ  lose  a  spiritual 
battle.  He  conquered  the  devil,  the  flesh 
and  the  world,  sickness  and  death.    He  has 


26  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

now  the  keys  of  death  and  hell  to  open  to 
the  prisoners  the  door  for  their  deliverance. 
The  way  he  obtained  the  keys  can  be  clear- 
ly seen  in  Heb.  2:9,  14,  15.  It  is  much  more 
pleasing  to  God  for  us  to  expect  this 
glorified  Christ  to  come  and  take  us  unto 
himself  with  the  clouds  than  to  expect 
death  to  come  to  take  us.  It  will  bring  more 
life  to  the  body  to  expect  such  a  glorified 
One  to  come  and  rule  over  us,  than  to  expect 
death  to  come  with  its  life-destroying  pow- 
er. O  ye  saints  of  God,  give  Christ  the 
right  to  rule  over  you  and  give  death  no 
right.  Think  of  him  who  paid  unto  death 
its  wages  in  our  stead.  We  all  deserve  to 
die;  but  we  are  called  on  to  overcome  and 
we  shall  overcome  according  to  prophecy. 
"We  shall  not  all  sleep  (die)  but  we  shall 
all  be  changed  in  a  moment  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye." 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  MESSAGES  TO  THE  SEVEN 
CHURCHES 

Rev.    2:1-7.      To    the    angel    of    the    church    in 
Ephesus  write: 

These  things  saith  he  that  holdeth  tHe  seven 
stars  in  his  right  hand,  he  that  walketh  in  the  midst 
of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks:  2  I  know  thy 
works,  and  thy  toil  and  patience,  and  that  thou  canst 
not  bear  evil  men,  and  didst  try  them  that  call  them- 
selves apostles,  and  they  are  not,  and  didst  find  them 
false;  3  and  thou  hast  patience  and  didst  bear  for 
my  name's  sake,  and  hast  not  grown  weary.  4  But 
I  have  this  against  thee,  that  thou  didst  leave  thy 
first  love.  5  Remember  therefore  whence  thou  art 
fallen,  and  repent  and  do  the  first  works;  or  else  I 
come  to  thee,  and  will  move  thy  candlestick  out  of  its 
place,  except  thou  repent.  6  But  this  thou  hast,  that 
thou  natest  the  works  of  the  Nicolaitans,  which  I 
also  hate.  7  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches.  To  him  that  over- 
cometh,  to  him  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  Hfe, 
which  is  in  the  Paradise  of  God. 


28  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Remarks  on  the  above  message:  We 
believe  that  this  message  to  the  church  at 
Ephesus  like  all  these  seven  messages  serve 
us  as  a  perfect  mirror  to  detect  the  evils  and 
errors  in  any  church  also  for  our  age  and 
until  Christ  comes  again.  While  some  dear 
brethren  have  explained  or  applied  them  to 
the  church  dispensationally,  Ephesus  repre- 
senting the  condition  of  the  church,  as  a 
whole, .immediately  after  the  Apostles'  time 
and  Laodicea  our  age,  yet  we  know  real  well 
that  there  are  single  Christians  and  whole 
congregations  today  who  are  in  the  condi- 
tion like  the  church  at  Ephesus  was  1800 
years  ago.  Yea,  we  believe  that  there  is  no 
minister  of  God  or  local  church  on  earth 
today  but  what  can  behold  its  right  or 
wrong  standing  toward  Christ  in  one  or  all 
of  these  seven  messages  in  Rev.  2  and  3. 
These  seven  messages  serve  us  today  as  a 
perfect  reprover  of  any  departure  from  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  but  they  also  serve  us  as 
a  reliable  witness  when  our  works  are 
accepted  of  the  Lord.  In  these  seven  mes- 
sages   is    fully    revealed    what    works    are 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  29 

accepted  of  the  Master  and  what  works  are 
rejected  of  Him.  No  wonder  that  at  the 
end  of  every  message  the  same  warning  is 
repeated  of  the  Spirit:  ''He  that  has  an  ear 
let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  says  to  the 
churches."  It  is  therefore  very  important 
that  these  messages  be  read  and  heard,  for 
to  do  this  is  pleasing  to  God  and  brings  the 
blessing  of  God  upon  us. 

Let  us  notice  then,  first  of  all,  how  the 
Spirit  speaks  here  to  the  angel  or  church 
at  Ephesus.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  praises  this 
servant,  or  angel,  who  had  the  oversight 
over  the  flock  of  Christ's  sheep  at  Ephesus, 
for  the  many  good  works  which  he  had. 
Although  he  had  fallen  from  the  first  love 
yet  he  had  many  good  works  such  as  toil, 
patience,  could  not  bear  evil  men,  had  tried 
the  false  Apostles,  had  patience  to  bear  for 
Christ's  sake  and  had  not  grown  weary  in 
serving  Christ.  Oh,  may  we  as  servants  of 
God  do  likewise  to  treat  each  other  as  the 
Spirit  does  in  these  seven  messages.  May 
we  behold  the  good  in  one  another  and  at 
the  same  time  have  enough  grace  to  reprove 


30  LIGHT    AXD    LIFE    FROM 

one  another  in  the  Spirit  of  love  when  we 
have  drifted  away  from  the  truth.  It  is  very 
important  to  notice  how  decidedly  the  Spirit 
says  to  this  servant  or.angel  of  Christ,  ''But 
I  have  against  thee  that  thou  didst  leave  thy 
first  love.  Remember  therefore  whence  thou 
art  fallen."  Notice  that  with  all  the  good 
works  which  he  had  and  for  which  the 
Spirit  praised  him,  he  had  fallen.  He  is 
urged  to  repent  and  do  the  first  works  or 
else  his  church  would  be  removed  from  its 
place.  May  the  dear  Lord  show  us  what 
this  first  love  is,  so  that  we  may  also  repent, 
if  we  are  guilty,  that  the  church  in  which  we 
may  labor  as  shepherds  be  not  removed  out 
of  its  place  of  honor;  that  it  still  be  used  of 
Christ  as  a  light  on  the  stand,  as  a  city  on 
a  hill  as  a  salt  in  the  earth.  What  then 
may  this  first  love  be?  Perfect  love  to 
Christ  consists  in  our  obedience  to  every 
commandment  of  His,  "He  that  hath  my 
commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is 
that  loveth  me"  (John  14:21).  Remember 
King  Saul  who  obeyed  God  at  first  and  then 
later  on  failed  to  continue  in  this  first  love 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  31 

of  obedience  to  God  and  was  rejected  as 
king  (I  Sam.  15).  Think  of  King  Solomon 
who  obeyed  God  and  pleased  Him  in  the 
beginning  of  his  reign  and  then  afterwards 
fell  away  from  his  first  love.  And  as  a 
punishment  of  this  the  Lord  parted  his 
kingdom  and  gave  a  large  part  to  another 
man.  His  candlestick,  that  is  his  people 
over  which  he  was  shepherd  were  removed 
from  him.  Solomon  dishonored  God's  law 
given  through  Moses  by  accepting  heathen 
worship  of  idolatry  and  God  dishonored  him. 
Oh,  how  many  denominations  and  local 
churches  have  been  parted  because  of  their 
leaders  having  fallen  from  the  first  love. 
They  failed  to  honor  the  whole  doctrine  of 
the  New  Testament  and  God  divided  or 
rather  allowed  their  church  to  be  separated. 
Because  of  Solomon's  disobedience  the  Lord 
awakened  adversaries  in  his  kingdom  and 
Solomon  persecuted  the  adversary  who 
caused  disturbance,  but  he  did  not  perse- 
cute himself  by  repenting  of  his  sins  as  his 
father  David  always  did  when  he  was  re- 
proved for  his  sins  (I  Kings  11). 


32  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Notice  in  Rev.  3:7-12  what  this  angel 
of  the  church  at  Philadelphia  had  kept, 
"Thou  hast  kept  my  word  and  hast  not 
denied  my  name."  Therefore  he  had  such 
great  promises  promised  to  him.  The  angel 
in  Philadelphia  had  kept  what  the  one  at 
Ephesus  had  fallen  from.  There  is  such  a 
thing  as  being  full  of  even  good  works,  but 
neglectful  to  build  with  all  the  material  that 
belongs  to  the  temple  of  the  living  God  and 
consequently  we  are  rejected  as  builders 
and  are  delivered  over  to  the  chastening 
rod  of  God.  "And  if  also  a  man  contend  in 
the  games,  he  is  not  crowned,  except  he 
have  contended  lawfully"  (II  Tim.  2:5). 

In  this  message  to  Ephesus  we  can  not 
read,  "I  know  thy  love  and  thy  faith  in  my 
name."  There  was  something  very  impor- 
tant lacking  in  the  stewardship  of  this 
angel.  While  the  Spirit  promises  the  over- 
comer  in  this  message  that  he  will  get  to  eat 
of  the  tree  of  life,  therefore  we  believe  that 
this  angel  had  left  his  first  love  toward  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ.  Since  we  get  the 
right  to  come  to  the  tree  of  life  because  we 


THE     BOOK     OF     REVELATION  33 

wash  our  robes  and  make  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  he  must  have  been 
neglectful  to  observe  this  washing.  Only 
through  this  washing  of  our  robes  in  the 
blood  of  the  lamb  shall  we  have  access  to 
the  tree  of  life,  to  the  New  Jerusalem  and 
to  the  throne  of  God.  For  we  read  in  Rev. 
22:14,  R.  v.,  "Blessed  are  they  that  wash 
their  robes,  that  they  may  have  the  right  to 
come  to  the  tree  of  life  and  may  enter  in  by 
the  gates  into  the  city."  And  in  Rev.  7:14, 
15  we  read,  "And  they  washed  their  robes 
and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
lamb.  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne 
of  God  and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his 
temple."  Is  not  this  washing  of  our  robes 
in  His  blood  our  first  love  to  him?  This 
brings  Him  reward  for  His  suffering.  Surely 
it  pleases  Him  when  we  thus  honor  His 
blood  on  us  and  it  is  also  this  washing 
which  prepares  us  or  makes  us  worthy  to 
be  God's  priests  and  makes  us  ready  for  His 
coming.  Without  washing  our  Spirit,  soul, 
and  body  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  we  would 
not  be  ready  for  His  coming.    No,  not  even 


34  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

in  our  best  works  for  the  Lord  would  we  be 
ready  for  His  coming  and  for  the  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb.  Though  we  have  great- 
est zeal  in  the  Lord's  service,  and  though 
we  might  toil  day  and  night  to  save  souls, 
yet  we  would  never  be  honored  of  God  as 
much  as  for  our  perfect  work  of  washing 
ourselves  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  O  dear 
reader,  have  you  overcome  to  honor  the 
blood  to  wash  out  of  you  the  lust  of  the 
eye,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the  pride  of 
life?  This  will  please  God  and  will  bring 
blessing  upon  you  and  the  church. 

About  what  the  tree  of  life  may  be, 
look  to  John  6:48-58;  8:51;  11:26.  God 
has  given  us  life  only  in  His  Son,  Jesus 
Christ,  and  we  are  to  eat  Him  up  that  we 
might  have  life  in  our  Spirit,  soul  and  body. 

We  will  close  the  remarks  on  this  mes- 
sage by  showing  that  God  wants  to  give  us 
*'to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life."  The  church  is 
called  on  to  attain  unto  this  glory.  We  are 
not  to  remain  in  death  for  in  Christ  we  are 
called  to  live  for  the  glory  of  God.  Amen 
and  amen. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  35 

Rev.  2:8-11.  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  of 
Smyrna  write: 

These  things  saith  the  first  and  the  last,  who 
was  dead,  and  lived  again :  9  I  know  thy  tribulation, 
and  thy  poverty  (but  thou  art  rich),  and  the  blas- 
phemy of  them  that  say  they  are  Jews,  and  they  are 
not,  but  are  a  synagogue  of  Satan.  10  Fear  not  the 
things  which  thou  art  about  to  suffer:  behold,  the 
devil  is  about  to  cast  some  of  you  into  prison,  that 
ye  may  be  tried;  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten 
days.  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give 
thee  the  crown  of  life-  11  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let 
him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches.  He 
that  overcometh  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second 
death. 

We  have  before  us  in  this  message  a 
faithful  servant  in  the  church  of  Christ. 
Not  a  single  fault  is  found  in  him  of  the 
Spirit.  He  is  true  and  faithful  to  His  trust 
and  receives  the  approval  and  praise  of  the 
Spirit.  Let  us  notice  however  that  although 
he  was  so  faithful  yet  he  had  to  be  tried. 
God  allows  the  devil  to  persecute  us  but 
only  for  our  good  that  we  may  come  forth 
approved  of  God  having  overcome  in  faith 
to  trust  our  God.     It  is  similar  to  the  three 


36  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Jews  in  the  fiery  furnace  and  Daniel  in  the 
lion's  den.  Think  of  faithful  Job  and  how 
his  love  to  God  was  tried.  God  allowed 
Satan  to  rule  over  him  and  to  destroy  all 
his  property,  slay  his  children  and  ruin  his 
health.  But  notice  how  things  turned  in 
due  time  and  the  Lord  blessed  him  far  more 
than  before.  He  blessed  him  with  life  of 
140  years  longer  and  gave  him  as  many  sons 
and  daughters  as  he  had  before  and  with 
such  fair  looking  daughters  that  in  all  the 
lands  were  not  found  such  fair  women  as 
the  daughters  of  Job.  The  Lord  blessed  him 
with  14,000  sheep,  6,000  camels,  1,000  yoke 
of  oxen  and  1,000  she  asses.  This  was 
double  the  amount  that  he  had  before.  O 
brother,  hold  fast  to  God's  Word  when  you 
are  tried  for  the  end  will  be  glorious.  The 
Spirit  says  here  to  the  angel  at  Smyrna, 
**Fear  not  the  things  which  thou  art  about 
to  suffer."  "Be  thou  faithful  unto  death 
and  I  will  give  thee  the  crown  of  life."  **If 
so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him,  that  we  may 
be  also  glorified  with  him"  (Rom.  8:17). 
Thenefore  let  us  take  good  courage,  though 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  37 

our  love  to  Christ  and  His  word  is  put  to 
test  even  in  the  furnace  of  affliction.  It  is 
all  for  our  glorification.  God  will  have  a 
tried  people  that  will  love  Him  above  their 
lives.  Jesus  himself  is  an  example  in  suf- 
fering and  we  have  a  great  cloud  of  martyrs 
as  witnesses.  Thousands  and  thousands  of 
men  have  proven  it  by  dying  for  the  truth. 
Their  love  to  God  was  greater  than  to  any 
earthly  power,  than  to  their  own  wives  and 
children  or  to  any  friend,  yes  than  to  their 
own  lives.  Praise  God  for  His  grace  v/ork- 
ing  in  us  that  he  brings  us  through  trials  so 
that  we  can  prove  to  the  world  that  we  love 
our  God  more  than  anything  else.  We  thank 
God  for  such  opportunities  of  testings. 
They  are  for  our  honor.  It  is  the  greatest 
degree  of  Christian  attainment  and  of  God's 
favor  upon  us  when  we  are  chosen  of  Him 
to  lay  down  our  lives  for  Him  or  for  our 
brethren.  To  Him  be  glory  for  such  favors 
to  us  to  bring  us  forth  more  than  conquer- 
ors through  Him  who  loved  us.  Yea,  thanks 
and  glory  be  to  Him  that  He  has  under- 
taken to  transform  us  into  the  likeness  of 


38  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

His  Son  and  make  us  perfect  through  suf- 
fering. 

Rev.  2:12-17.  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church 
in  Pergamum  write: 

These  things  saith  he  that  hath  the  sharp  two- 
edged  sword:  13  I  know  where  thou  dwellest,  even 
where  Satan's  throne  is;  and  thou  holdest  fast  my 
name,  and  didst  not  deny  my  faith,  even  in  the  days 
of  Antipas  my  witness,  my  faithful  one,  who  was 
killed  among  you,  where  SataiT  dwelleth.  14  But  I 
have  a  few  things  against  thee,  because  thou  hast 
there  some  that  hold  the  teaching  of  Balaam,  who 
taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stumblingblock  before  the 
children  of  Israel,  to  eat  things  sacrificed  to  idols, 
and  to  commit  fornication.  15  So  hast  thou  also 
some  that  hold  the  teaching  of  the  Nicolaitans  in  like 
manner.  16  Repent  therefore;  or  else  I  come  to 
thee  quickly,  and  I  will  make  war  against  them  with 
the  sword  of  my  mouth.  17  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let 
him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches.  To 
him  that  overcometh,  to  him  will  I  give  of  the  hidden 
manna,  and  I  will  give  him  a  white  stone,  and  upon 
the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which  no  one  knoweth 
but  he  that  receiveth  it. 

Notice  that  in  all  the  seven  messages 
the  leaders  of  the  churches  are  addressed 
by  the  name,  "angel."     Surely  a  name  of 


THE     BOOK    OF    REVELATION  39 

great  honor.    The  Spirit  praises  this  angel 
at  Pergamum  for  his  several  good  works: 
holding  fast  to  Christ's  name  and  not  deny- 
ing the  faith  of  Jesus.    This  is  the  way  the 
Spirit  treats  us  as  servants  and  children  of 
God.    He  gives  us  witness  first  for  all  the 
good  we  have  and  then  he  is  so  faithful  to 
reveal  us  every  defect  or  disobedience  in 
our  service  to  God.     Oh,  how  thankful  we 
ought  to  be  to  such  a  comforter  and  at  the 
same    time    a    decided    reprover    of    every 
wrong  in  our  lives.    He  reproves  this  angel 
at  Pergamum  for  tolerating  two  dangerous 
evils  in  the  church.     The  teaching  of  Ba- 
laam and  the  teaching  of  the  Nicolaitans. 
May  the  dear  Lord  show  us  clearly  what 
these  deadly  teachings  are  so  that  if  we 
should  be  in  the  same  condition  that  we 
may  repent  and  overcome  to   receive  the 
promised  blessings  upon  us  and  upon  the 
church.     In  short,  the  teaching  of  Balaam 
is  conformity  to  the  world,  to  join  the  child- 
ren of  God  to  the  yoke  of  unbelievers,  to 
take  part  in  the  worship  of  idols  or  in  things 
that  the  world  worships.     It  may  not  be  at 


40  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

all  to  offer  incense  to  idols  as  the  people  in 
heathen  lands,  but  to  join  the  secret  and 
nonsecret  organizations  of  the  present  age 
and  then  offer  the  incense  of  our  money  to 
be  members  of  their  body,  to  lodges,  busi- 
ness trusts,  labor  unions,  life  insurance 
companies,  and  so  on.  God's  Word  forbids 
such  joining  to  the  yoke  of  unbelievers.  It 
is  a  separation  from  God  and  His  Word. 
It  is  losing  trust  in  God  for  temporal  needs 
and  it  is  taking  flesh  for  our  arm.  And 
such  action  is  cursed  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 
*Thus  saith  Jehovah:  Cursed  is  the  man 
that  trusted  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh  his 
arm,  and  whose  heart  departeth  from  Je- 
hovah. For  he  shall  be  like  the  heath  in  the 
desert,  and  shall  not  see  when  good  cometh, 
but  shall  inhabit  the  parched  places  in  the 
wilderness,  in  a  salt  land  and  not  inhabited. 
Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  Jehovah, 
and  whose  trust  Jehovah  is.  For  he  shall 
be  as  a  tree  planted  by  the  waters  that 
spreadeth  out  its  roots  by  the  river,  and 
shall  not  fear  when  heat  cometh,  but  its 
leaf  shall  be  green ;  and  shall  not  be  careful 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  41 

in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease 
from  yielding  fruit"  (Jer.  17:5-8).  ''Be  not 
unequally  yoked  with  unbelievers:  for  what 
fellowship  have  righteousness  and  iniquity? 
or  what  communion  hath  light  with  dark- 
ness? or  what  concord  hath  Christ  with 
Belial?  or  what  portion  hath  a  believer  with 
an  unbeliever?  and  what  agreement  hath  a 
temple  of  God  with  idols?  For  we  are  a 
temple  of  the  living  God;  even  as  God  said, 
I  will  dwell  in  them  and  walk  in  them;  and 
I  will  be  their  God  and  they  shall  be  my 
people.  Wherefore  come  out  from  among 
them  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing;  and  I  will 
receive  you,  and  will  be  to  you  a  father, 
and  ye  shall  be  to  me  sons  and  daughters, 
saith  the  Lord  Almighty.  Having  therefore 
these  promises,  beloved,  let  us  cleanse  our- 
selves from  all  defilement  of  flesh  and  spirit, 
perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God"  (II 
Cor.  6:14-18;  7:1).  God's  Word  forbids 
strictly  the  joining  of  believers  and  unbe- 
lievers. This  means  in  marriage,  in  busi- 
ness partnership,  in  membership  of  organi- 


42  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

zations  where  unbelievers  and  believers  are 
joined  together  to  the  same  yoke  for  the 
sake  of  earthly  gain  to  protect  their  own 
interest  and  not  the  interest  and  welfare  of 
their  neighbor.  All  such  societies  are  se- 
parating us  from  the  word  of  life,  "love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself."  And  all  such  works 
are  works  of  fornication,  separating  us  * 
from  God  and  His  Word.  This  teaching 
and  work  of  Balaam  to  Balak  for  Israel  in 
the  above  message  was  a  direct  transgres- 
sion of  God's  command  who  had  strictly 
commanded  them  to  be  a  separate  people 
and  not  mix  up  with  heathen  worship.  A 
very  destructive  teaching  to  God's  people. 
The  name  Balaam  means  "Destroyer  of 
people"  (Zeller's  Worterbuch).  He  was  a 
prophet,  but  not  of  Israel.  Yet  he  pro- 
phesied through  the  Spirit  of  God  although 
his  heart  was  attached  to  earthly  honor  and 
gain.  He  was  entreated  by  King  Balak  to 
come  and  curse  Israel,  as  they  were  in  the 
wilderness  on  their  way  to  Canaan.  They 
were  about  to  go  through  the  land  of  King 
Balak  who  was  afraid  of  them  and  sent  for 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  43 

the  prophet  Balaam  to  come  and  curse 
them.  (See  Numbers  22  to  25).  Balaam 
could  not  curse  Israel,  but  against  his  will 
(as  it  seems)  had  to  bless  them.  Yet  he 
advised  King  Balak  to  mix  up  with  Israel 
and  to  invite  them  to  the  worship  of  their 
feast.  So  Balak  sent  women  of  his  people 
into  the  camp  of  Israel  to  invite  the  men  of 
Israel  to  come  to  their  feast  of  idol  worship. 
So  Israel  committed  fornication  with  the 
Midianites,  both  spiritual  and  bodily, 
through  the  counsel  of  Balaam  to  King 
Balak.  (See  Numbers  31:15,  16).  A  sore 
plague  came  upon  Israel  because  of  this  sin. 
But  later  on  Israel  was  to  take  revenge  on 
the  Midianites  and  they  destroyed  them 
utterly.  Even  the  prophet  Balaam  did  not 
escape  their  sword  (Num.  31:8).  God  does 
not  tolerate  fornication  in  His  church.  The 
minister  that  tolerates  the  teaching  of  Ba- 
laam in  his  congregation  will  never  prepare 
his  church  for  the  coming  of  Christ,  but 
will  give  cause  that  God's  wrath  be  poured 
out  upon  them  in  sickness,  in  plagues,  and 
death.    Christ  would  also  lose  them  for  His 


44  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

bride.  Oh,  what  a  loss  to  Christ.  Oh,  what 
a  loss  to  such  a  church  to  lose  its  high  place 
of  honor  because  of  adultery  with  the 
world.  "Ye  adulterers  and  adulteresses, 
know  ye  not  that  the  friendship  of  the 
world  is  enmity  with  God?  Whosoever 
therefore  will  be  a  friend  of  the  world  is  the 
enemy  of  God"  (Jas.  4:4).  If  we  ministers 
of  God  allow  this  teaching  of  Balaam  in  the 
church,  we  hinder  the  coming  of  Christ 
because  of  His  church  being  defiled  and 
yoked  with  the  world.* 

The  nature  of  the  other  destructive 
teaching  of  the  Nicolaitans  tolerated  in  the 
church  at  Pergamum  is  not  revealed  to  us 
in  the  scripture  except  in  I  John  4:1-4. 
We  judge  it  according  to  this  passage  that 
is  is  a  teaching  denying  Christ  in  the  flesh. 
Not  at  all  like  the  teaching  of  Balaam 
joining  the  believer  and  the  unbeliever  to- 

*It  was  displeasing  to  God  for  King  Jehoshaphat  to  go  into  partner- 
ship with  King  Ahaziah  to  build  ships.  These  two  men  were 
both  of  Israel  and  therefore  brethren.  Jehoshaphat  was  God-fear- 
ing but  Ahaziah  was  ungodly.  God  chastised  his  servant  Je- 
hoshaphat because  of  this  weakness  of  his  to  join  himself  in 
business  with  ungodly  men,  for  the  ships  were  bro'-en.  rnd  he 
was  reproved  by  the  prophet.  II  Chron.  20:35-37.  In  the  New 
Testament  we  are  commanded  to  have  no  company,  vea  not  even 
to  eat,  with  one  that  calls  himself  a  brother  but  is  "a  fornicator^ 
or  a  covetous,  or  an  idolator,  or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an 
extortioner:     with    such    an    one    no    not   to    eat."    I    Cor.    5:11. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  45 

gether,  but  denying  first  that  Christ  was 
born  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Mary  and  then, 
secondly,  that  Christ  is  not  born  in  our 
flesh  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  teaching 
means  no  new  birth  of  the  Spirit.  Man 
must  reform  himself  by  his  will,  subdue  sin 
and  come  out  of  sinful  habits  into  a  life  of 
good  morality.  It  is  as  the  law  of  Moses  or 
as  many  lecturers  and  even  ministers  today, 
preaching  reform  and  making  better  laws  to 
reform  man  by  them.  This  teaching  puts 
aside  the  Holy  Spirit  through  whom  alone 
man  can  be  saved  to  become  good  in  the 
sight  of  God.  Reform  from  drinking  in- 
toxicating drinks,  reform  from  swearing, 
cheating,  lying,  stealing  and  so  on  does  not 
make  a  man  a  new  creature,  for  inwardly 
the  heart  remains  in  its  sinful  condition. 
Christ  is  not  yet  inside  but  outside.  No  oil 
in  the  vessel  or  body.  Such  a  one  looks 
much  like  a  Christian  and  may  go  by  that 
name  but  he  has  not  the  seal  of  God's  Spirit 
upon  Him.  He  is  something  like  a  bastard 
or  a  counterfeit  of  human  production  and 
will  never  be  admitted  into  the  kingdom  of 


46  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

God  or  to  the  marriage  supper  of  the 
lamb:  for  he  has  not  on  the  wedding  gar- 
ment made  ready  for  all  in  the  cleansing 
blood  of  Christ.  If  we  ministers  of  God 
tolerate  such  teaching  in  the  Church  we 
hinder  the  return  of  Christ,  because  the 
people  in  that  condition  are  not  at  all  ready 
for  His  coming.  They  are  deceived  in  their 
good  moral  life  and  that  which  is  needed  to 
go  with  Christ  when  he  comes  they  have 
not.  Oh,  may  God  hold  us  watchful  and 
arm  us  with  the  whole  armour  of  God  to 
rebuke  the  spirit  of  error  and  to  prepare 
every  man,  who  is  willing,  for  the  coming 
of  the  Son  of  man  when  the  great  inspec- 
tion shall  take  place  and  the  king  shall  view 
the  guests  in  their  garments.  No  other 
garment  but  the  blood  washed  one  will 
stand  the  inspection  day.  God  help  us  to 
honor  the  blood  of  the  lamb.  Amen  and 
.amen. 

Rev.  2:18-29.    And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in 
Thyatira  write: 

These  things  saith  the   Son  of  God,  who  hath 
his  eyes  like  a  flame  of  fire,  and  his  feet  are  like 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  47 

unto  burnished  brass :  19  I  know  thy  works,  and  thy 
love  and  faith  and  ministry  and  patience,  and  that 
thy  last  works  are  more  than  the  first.  20  But  I 
have  this  against  thee,  that  thou  sufferest  the  woman 
Jezebel,  who  calleth  herself  a  prophetess ;  and  she 
teacheth  and  seduceth  my  servants  to  commit  forni- 
cation, and  to  eat  things  sacrificed  to  idols.  21  And 
I  gave  her  time  that  she  should  repent ;  and  she 
willeth  not  to  repent  of  her  fornication.  22  Behold, 
I  cast  her  into  a  bed,  and  them  that  commit  adultery 
with  her  into  great  tribulation,  except  they  repent  of 
her  works.  23  And  I  will  kill  her  children  with 
death;  and  all  the  churches  shall  know  that  I  am  he 
that  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts :  and  I  will  give 
unto  each  one  of  you  according  to  your  works.  24 
But  to  you  I  say,  to  the  rest  that  are  in  Thyatira,  as 
many  as  have  not  this  teaching,  who  know  not  the 
deep  things  of  Satan,  as  they  are  wont  to  say;  I 
cast  upon  you  none  other  burden.  25  Nevertheless 
that  which  ye  have,  hold  fast  till  I  come.  26  And  he 
that  overcometh,  and  he  that  keepeth  my  works  unto 
the  end,  to  him  will  I  give  authority  over  the 
nations :  27  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of 
iron,  as  the  vessels  of  the  potter  are  broken  to 
shivers ;  as  I  also  have  received  of  my  Father :  28 
and  I  will  give  him  the  morning  star.  29  He  that 
hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  to  the 
churches. 

Notice  again  how  Christ  first  praises 


48  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

this  servant  of  His  for  the  many  good 
works  which  he  had.  And  indeed  he  had 
good  works,  such  as  love,  faith,  ministry, 
patience  and  the  last  works  more  than  the 
first.  He  was  growing  in  work,  bringing 
more  and  more  fruit.  But  notice  what  the 
one  great  defect  in  his  ministry  was.  He 
suffered  this  woman  Jezebel  to  teach,  and 
to  teach  a  more  liberal  doctrine  than  the 
one  laid  down  by  the  apostles  in  regard  to 
fornication  and  eating  things  sacrificed  to 
idols.  This  teaching  of  Jezebel  was  a  sepa- 
ration from  the  teaching  adopted  by  the 
apostles  and  the  Holy  Spirit  at  Jerusalem 
for  the  Gentile  Christians  to  observe.  'Tor 
it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Spirit, .and  to 
us,  to  lay  upon  you  no  other  burden  than 
these  necessary  things:  that  ye  abstain 
from  things  sacrificed  to  idols  and  from 
blood,  and  from  things  strangled,  and  from 
fornication;  from  which  if  ye  keep  your- 
selves it  shall  be  well  with  you''  (Acts  15: 
28-30).  Let  us  notice  here  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  was  in  this  meeting  at  Jerusalem  and 
He  was  the  author  of  the  above  discipline. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  49 

The  apostles  afterward  delivered  this  teach- 
ing to  the  churches  among  the  Gentiles  and 
God  blessed  the  churches  for  accepting  it. 
"And  as  they  went  on  their  way  through 
the  cities,  they  delivered  them  the  decree  to 
keep  which  had  been  ordained  of  the  a- 
postles  and  elders  that  were  at  Jerusalem. 
So  the  churches  were  strengthened  in  the 
faith,  and  increased  in  number  daily"  (Acts 
16:4,  5).  Since  the  Holy  Spirit  was  with 
the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem  to 
make  this  decree,  and  that  He  was  in  reality 
the  author  of  it,  therefore  the  churches 
were  joined  to  the  Spirit  or  the  word  of  the 
Spirit  when  they  accepted  this  decree.  But 
when  this  woman  Jezebel  who  called  herself 
a  prophetess,  taught  in  the  church  at  Thya- 
tira  that  a  Christian  can  eat  things  sacri- 
ficed to  idols  and  can  commit  fornication 
and  yet  remain  a  Christian,  she  was  separa- 
ting the  believers  who  were  joined  to  the 
words  of  the  Spirit,  from  the  Spirit  or  the 
law  of  the  Spirit.  And  that  work  is  fornica- 
tion against  Christ  and  the  Spirit.  The 
Church  is  joined  to  Christ  by  His  Spirit  and 


50  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

by  accepting  His  Word;  hence  any  teaching, 
that  severs  us  from  any  one  teaching  or 
commandment  in  the  New  Testament,  IS 
ADULTERY  TOWARDS  CHRIST.  This 
servant  or  angel  of  Christ  who  was  over- 
seer in  the  church  at  Thyatira  was  not 
guilty  of  this  crime  himself,  but  he  had  the 
weakness  to  allow  such  work  of  abomina- 
tion to  go  on  in  his  church.  As  it  appears 
he  had  not  used  the  word  of  God  as  a  two- 
edged  sword  against  the  evils  going  on 
in  His  church  at  Thyatira.  Oh,  may  God 
cause  us  as  his  children  and  as  ministers  of 
Christ  to  see  and  to  reprove  the  destructive 
work  of  adultery  and  fornication  going  on 
in  our  churches  today,  so  that  we  may 
escape  the  judgments  of  God  as  revealed  in 
this  message.  God  punishes  adultery  or 
fornication  with  great  tribulation  and  with 
death.  Let  us  notice  the  work  of  adultery 
in  the  church  today.  We  are  joined  to 
Christ  and  the  law  of  the  New  Testament. 
We  are  not  joined  to  Moses'  law,  although 
Moses'  law  was  £^iven  of  God.  We  were 
severed    from    the    law    by    God    Himself.. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  51 

''Wherefore,  my  brethren,  ye  also  were 
jxiade  dead  to  the  law  (of  Moses)  through 
the  body  of  Christ;  that  we  should  be 
joined  to  another,  even  to  him  who  was 
raised  from  the  dead,  that  we  might  bring 
forth  fruit  unto  God.  For  when  we  were  in 
the  flesh  (the  law),  the  sinful  passions 
which  were  through  the  law,  wrought  in 
our  members  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto 
death.  But  now  we  have  been  discharged 
from  the  law,  having  died  to  that  wherein 
we  were  held;  so  that  we  serve  in  newness 
of  the  Spirit^  and  not  in  oldness  of  the 
letter"  (Rom.  7:4-6).  If  after  having  been 
discharged  from  the  law  and  joined  to 
Christ  we  should  again  be  joined  to  the 
teaching  of  the  law  of  Moses,  we  would 
commit  adultery  towards  Christ.  The  result 
of  this  is  that  we  could  never  be  made  free 
from  the  sinful  passions  in  the  flesh.  We 
would  always  remain  in  death  and  be  re- 
fused as  a  part  of  Christ's  bride.  The  Old 
Testament  is  compared  to  moonlight,  but  the 
New  is  the  sunlight  of  the  day.  The  Old  Tes- 
tament serves  us  greatly,  and  we  need  it  as  a 


52  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

book  of  instruction  and  warning;  however 
we  shall  not  be  judged  on  the  judgment  day 
by  the  law  of  Moses,  but  by  the  words  of 
Christ  in  the  New  Testament.  "He  that 
rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth  not  my  sayings,, 
has  one  that  judgeth  him:  the  word  that  I 
spake,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last 
day"  (John  12:48).  The  law  commanded 
the  oath,  Christ  strictly  forbids  it:  hence 
all  believers  on  Christ  who  take  the  oath 
are  committing  adultery  towards  Christ. 
The  law  commanded  the  use  of  the  sword^ 
Christ  forbids  it  to  his  followers:  hence 
where  this  teaching  is  taught  in  the  church 
or  allowed  to  be  taught,  it  is  fornication.  It 
separates  believers  from  Christ.  It  sepa- 
rates the  chosen  bride  of  Christ  and  joins 
her  to  another  one  even  to  the  law  of 
Moses.  Christ  forbids  us  to  go  to  law  when 
we  have  difficulties  between  one  another: 
hence  anyone  that  teaches  the  contrary  is 
an  adulterer  in  the  church  of  Christ.  And 
God  has  said  that  adulterers  shall  not  live 
but  die.  Or  as  it  says  here  in  this  message, 
I  will  punish  this  adultery  with  great  tribu- 


THE     BOOK    OF    REVELATION  53 

lation  and  death.  O  brethren,  why  are  all 
these  tribulations  of  divers  diseases  and  the 
many  premature  deaths  in  the  church  to- 
day? O  let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  the 
adultery  towards  Christ.  We  have  defiled 
ourselves  with  the  world  and  have  commit- 
ted fornication  with  the  nations  in  the 
world.  We  have  obeyed  the  laws  of  our 
government  more  than  those  of  Christ.  We 
have  accepted  the  oath:  we  have  taken  the 
sword  and  gone  to  war  to  kill  our  fellow- 
man.  We  have  adopted  in  our  congrega- 
tions the  system  of  the  world  in  choosing 
ministers  and  officers  of  the  church  by  a 
majority  of  votes  and  by  this  method  we 
place  ministers  in  the  pulpit  that  God  never 
had  chosen  and  that  cannot  keep  the  flock 
nor  prepare  anyone  for  the  kingdom  of 
Christ.  The  people  are  choosing  and  not 
the  Holy  Spirit.  This  system  does  not 
come  out  of  the  Bible  but  out  of  heathen- 
ism. The  Greek  philosophers  invented  this 
system  and  it  was  first  adopted  by  the 
Romans  in  their  constitutions  to  establish 
their  Republic  about  500  years  B.  C.    The 


54  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

nations  in  the  world  to  a  large  extent  have 
adopted  this  Roman  system  for  their  or- 
ganizations; and  it  is  sad  to  say  the  church 
of  Christ  has  very  largely  adopted  it  too. 
To  build  in  the  temple  or  Church  of  God 
with  any  material  that  is  not  from  God's 
Word  is  but  wood,  hay,  and  stubble.  In 
matters  for  the  church  to  decide  the  Spirit 
must  unite  the  hearts  and  even  the  lot  has 
never  failed  once  to  decide  right  when  it 
was  used  even  by  people  who  were  not  the 
chosen  people  of  God  (Jonah  1:7-16).  We 
have  committed  fornication  with  the  na- 
tions in  the  world  and  have  drifted  away 
from  the  Spirit  and  Word  of  God.  O  come 
back,  come  back.  Church  of  Christ,  to  the 
Word  and  Spirit  of  God.  Cleanse  thyself 
from  all  thy  defilements  and  vessels  of 
dishonor  to  God's  word.  "Howbeit  the  firm 
foundation  of  God  standeth,  having  this 
seal.  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his: 
Let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  the 
Lord  depart  from  unrighteousness.  Now 
in  a  great  house  there  are  not  only  vessels 
of  gold  and  of  silver,  but  also  of  wood  and 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  55 

of  earth;  and  some  unto  honor  and  some 
unto  dishonor.  If  a  man  therefore  purge 
himself  from  these,  he  shall  be  a  vessel  of 
honor,  sanctified,  meet  for  the  master's  use, 
prepared  unto  every  good  work"  (II  Tim. 
2:19-21).  Oh,  what  a  great  promise  of 
honor  is  given  here  in  this  message  to  the 
church  at  Thyatira  to  the  one  that  over- 
comes to  keep  Christ's  work  unto  the  end; 
that  does  not  defile  himself  with  the  teach- 
ing of  fornication  and  adultery  but  holds 
fast  to  Christ's  teaching,  to  keep  it  pure, 
unspotted  until  the  day  of  His  appearing. 
'*And  he  that  overcometh,  and  he  that 
keepeth  my  works  unto  the  end,  to  him  will 
I  give  authority  over  the  nations:  and  he 
shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  as  the 
vessels  of  the  potter  are  broken  to  shivers; 
as  I  also  received  of  my  Father:  and  I  will 
give  him  the  morning  star.  He  that  has  an 
ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  says  to 
the  churches."  This  Morning  Star  men- 
tioned above  is  Christ  himself  (Rev.22:16). 
This  is  the  exceeding  great  and  valuable 
promise  to  the  overcomer  that  he  shall  in- 
herit Christ  in  His  second  coming. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  MESSAGES  TO  THE  SEVEN 
CHURCHES— Continued. 

Rev.  3:1-6.  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in 
Sardis  write: 

These  things  saith  he  that  hath  the  seven  Spirits 
of  God,  and  the  seven  stars:  I  know  thy  works,  that 
thou  hast  a  name  that  thou  livest,  and  thou  art  dead. 
2  Be  thou  watchful,  and  establish  the  things  that 
remain,  which  were  ready  to  die:  for  I  have  found 
no  works  of  thine  perfected  before  my  God.  3 
Remember  therefore  how  thou  hast  received  and 
didst  hear;  and  keep  it,  and  repent.  If  therefore 
thou  shalt  not  watch,  I  will  come  as  a  thief,  and  thou 
shalt  not  know  what  hour  I  will  come  upon  thee,  4 
But  thou  hast  few  names  in  Sardis  that  did  not  defile 
their  garments:  and  they  shall  walk  with  me  in 
white;  for  they  are  worthy.  5  He  that  overcometh 
shall  thus  be  arrayed  in  white  garments;  and  I  will 
in  no  wise  blot  his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life,  and 
I  will  confess  his  name  before  my  Father,  and  before 
his  angels.  6  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  57 

Notice  how  faithful  the  Lord  Jesus  and 
the  Holy  Spirit  are  in  so  faithfully  warning 
us,  when  we  have  become  so  neglectful  to 
our  ministry  as  was  this  angel  in  Sardis. 
Oh,  the  great  patience  of  our  Master  in 
bearing  us  and  not  discharging  us  from  our 
office  when  we  are  even  in  such  a  state  of 
unworthiness  as  this.  This  minister  here 
had  merely  the  name  that  he  lived,  but  he 
was  dead.  Dead  to  his  so  valuable  trust. 
Through  his  neglect  in  not  feeding  the 
'flock,  the  Master  lost  many  of  His  sheep. 
For  the  want  of  food  and  nursing  they 
were  dying.  Does  the  Master  discharge  this 
unfaithful  servant  of  his  at  once?  Does 
He  choose  another  one  immediately  to  fill 
the  place  of  the  neglectful  one?  No,  not 
yet.  He  calls  him  to  repentance  and  urges 
him  to  go  to  work  at  once  and  strengthen 
those  who  were  dying.  The  Master  does 
not  want  to  lose  this  servant  of  His,  but  He 
wants  to  make  out  of  an  unfaithful  servant 
a  faithful  one.  O  brother,  is  this  your  case? 
Should  you  have  been  so  unfortunate  as 
this  one  was?    Do  not  give  up  at  this  time 


58  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

but  go  to  work;  and  your  calling  will  be 
renewed  to  you  by  the  Spirit  who  will  again 
witness  to  you  that  you  are  the  chosen 
servant  of  Christ.  Let  not  your  accuser, 
the  devil,  triumph  over  you  because  of 
your  fall;  but  take  hold  on  God's  grace 
which  is  greater  than  your  sins  of  omission 
behind  you.  Honor  the  blood  of  Christ  in 
which  your  sins  are  all  washed  away.  In 
His  work  you  are  nevertheless  made  a 
priest  of  God,  if  you  just  go  onward  ip 
your  service  as  the  priest  and  ambassador 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord 
of  lords.  Remember  that  his  banner  over 
you  is  yet,  love.  Therefore  take  up  the 
work  and  be  faithful  as  never  before  and 
the  flock  which  is  dying  will  be  made  alive 
of  the  Lord  and  will  be  healed  and  prosper. 
Surely  this  is  God's  will  towards  you  for  He 
makes  a  field  of  dead  and  dried  up  bones 
alive  again,  and  he  brings  those  bones 
which  were  torn  apart  together.  He  does 
that  to  bring  glory  and  honor  to  His  own 
name.  A  servant  of  God  may  fall  and  a 
church  of  God  may  become  like  a  waste 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  59 

but  God  says,  ''I  will  make  this  waste  like 
the  garden  of  Eden"  (Ezek.  36:35,  36).  Is 
there  anything  impossible  with  God?  Yes, 
our  unbelief  and  failure  to  repent  can  make 
things  impossible  for  him  to  do  us  good. 
Not  that  he  could  not  do  it  without  our 
repentance  and  faith,  but  because  he  has 
promised  salvation  and  glory  upon  our  faith 
and  upon  repentance.  God  is  righteous  and 
will  do  according  to  His  Word.  If  he  would 
give  us  salvation  and  glory,  though  we  do 
not  repent  of  our  wrong  and  though  we  do 
not  believe  in  His  promises,  the  devil  could 
call  God  unrighteous  as  being  one  who  is 
not  true  to  his  own  word.  The  Master  tells 
this  angel  at  Sardis  plainly,  "I  have  found 
no  works  of  thine  perfect  before  my  God." 
Yet  He  does  not  cast  him  aside,  but  tells 
him  to  remember  how  he  had  received  and 
heard,  to  keep  it  and  repent.  It  seems  that 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  to  forget  our  great 
calling.  What  a  responsibility  it  brings 
when  we  are  untrue  and  what  a  great 
reward  it  brings  when  we  are  obedient. 
There  is  a  danger  to  forget,  and  soon  we 


60  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

neglect.  Then  comes  the  devil  as  accuser 
and  deceives  one.  Ho,  you  are  not  a  chos- 
en minister  of  God;  and  if  you  were  once 
one,  surely  you  are  not  anymore.  Why, 
where  is  the  proof  or  the  evidence  of  your 
calling?  Oh,  what  a  consolation  this  mes- 
sage was  to  the  church  in  Sardis,  and  what 
a  comfort  to  us.  Let  us  not  overlook, 
however,  that  the  Spirit  notifies  him  that 
his  office  would  be  taken  from  him  if  he 
would  not  be  watchful.  Yet  before  closing 
the  message  the  Spirit  holds  out  to  him  the 
glorious  reward  for  the  one  that  would 
overcome.  The  reward  is  white  garments, 
not  blotting  his  name  out  of  the  book  of 
life,  confessing  his  name  before  the  Father 
in  heaven  and  before  His  angels.  Surely 
that  was  inducement  enough  to  make  one 
repent  and  obey  a  Master  who  is  so  patient 
with  His  sein^ant.  Think  of  the  patience  of 
God  with  Jonah  who  fled  away  from  the 
work  he  was  called  to  do,  and  how  the  Lord 
made  him  willing  to  go.  Then  think  of  the 
great  result  of  his  short  sermon,  a  whole 
city    (Nineveh)    spared    and    saved    from 


THE    BOOK    OF     REVELATION  61 

God's  judgment-  They  repented  upon  Jo- 
nah's preaching  and  God  forgave  them 
their  great  sins.  Glory  to  God  and  glory  to 
His  dear  name  for  granting  repentance  and 
forgiving  us  freely  all  our  sins:  Amen  and 
amen.  Not  to  be  faithful  to  our  trust  is  a 
great  hindrance  to  the  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  take  all  His  own  to  Himself, 
to  bring  His  judgment  upon  His  enemies 
and  to  set  up  His  kingdom  of  righteousness 
and  peace  and  power  as  revealed  in  the 
Scriptures.  Therefore  we  will  obey  and  be 
faithful  unto  death  that  we  might  receive 
life  and  glory,  that  we  might  hasten  His 
coming,  and  that  we  might  bring  about  the 
resurrection  of  all  the  saints  who  died  in 
the  Lord  and  the  glorious  reward  for  all 
the  servants  of  God  who  have  the  kingdom 
willed  unto  them.  He  has  made  us  co-heirs 
with  his  beloved  Son.  Praise  His  dear  name 
forever  and  ever.  Amen.  That  which  he 
has  spoken  must  come  to  pass.  Yea,  let  it 
come  quickly. 

Rev.  3:7-13.     And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in 
Philadelphia  write : 


62  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

These  things  saith  he  that  is  holy,  he  that  is  true,, 
he  that  hath  the  key  of  David,  he  that  openeth  and 
none  shall  shut,  and  that  shutteth  and  none  openeth: 
8  I  know  thy  works  (behold,  I  have  set  before  thee 
a  door  opened,  which  none  can  shut),  that  thou  hast 
a  little  power,  and  didst  keep  my  word,  and  didst  not 
deny  my  name.  9  Behold,  I  give  of  the  synagogue 
of  Satan,  of  them  that  say  they  are  Jews,  and  they 
are  not,  but  do  lie ;  behold,  I  will  make  them  to  come 
and  worship  before  thy  feet,  and  to  know  that  I  have 
loved  thee.  10  Because  thou  didst  keep  the  word  of 
my  patience,  I  also  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of 
trial,  that  hour  which  is  to  come  upon  the  whole 
world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth.  11  I 
come  quickly:  hold  fast  that  which  thou  hast,  that 
no  one  take  thy  crown.  12  He  that  overcometh,  I 
will  make  him  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God,  and 
he  shall  go  out  thence  no  more :  and  I  will  write  upon. 
him  the  name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city 
of  my  God,  the  new  Jerusalem,  which  cometh  down 
out  of  heaven  from  my  God,  and  mine  own  new 
name.  13  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  to  the  churches. 

The  above  is  a  glorious  message  of 
praise  to  the  faithful  angel  or  servant  of 
God  in  the  church  at  Philadelphia.  Na 
fault  is  mentioned  here,  nothing  but  faith- 
fulness and  praise.  Surely  if  there  had  been 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  63 

:any  disobedience  or  weakness  in  any  part 
of  this  servant's  ministry,  the  Spirit  would 
have  revealed  it.  For  the  Spirit  is  true  and 
faithful  to  reveal  to  us  any  act  of  disloyalty 
to  Christ  and  any  weakness  we  may  have; 
so  that  we  can  repent  of  it  and  get  com- 
pletely right  with  God  again.  We  have 
before  us  a  picture  of  faithfulness  in  the 
life  of  this  servant  of  Christ  which  we  may 
well  imitate.  He  receives  this  praise  of 
the  Master,  'Thou  hast  kept  my  word  and 
hast  not  denied  my  name."  He  did  this 
with  a  little  power.  .  Oh,  it  is  possible  to  be 
perfectly  faithful  to  all  the  words  of  Christ, 
to  keep  them  and  not  deny  His  name.  If  it 
were  possible  for  a  minister  of  Christ  to  be 
so  loyal  to  his  calling  in  that  age,  then  it  is 
also  possible  for  us  in  our  day  to  be  per- 
fectly obedient  and  also  receive  the  witness 
of  the  spirit  that  we  are  pleasing  to  the 
Master.  Should  the  Spirit  that  shows  us 
our  mistakes  and  reproves  us  of  them  not 
also  give  us  witness  when  all  our  works  are 
accepted  of  the  Master?  These  seven  mes- 
sages in  Rev.  2  and  3  assure  us  of  this  fact. 


64  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

A  minister  can  know,  when  he  has  de- 
livered a  sermon  or  after  his  day's  work  is 
ended  whether  God  has  accepted  his  work 
or  not.  The  Spirit  will  bear  him  witness  to 
his  work.  It  is  weakness  to  us  and  it  may 
be  very  misleading  to  receive  the  good 
testimony  of  a  brother  concerning  our  ser- 
mon. We  do  not  reject  this,  but  it  is  not 
reliable  and  may  side-track  us.  Jesus  said,. 
'The  witness  which  I  receive  is  not  from 
man"  (John  5:34),  As  a  father  loves  to  tell 
his  faithful  son,  "I  am  pleased  with  the 
work  I  have  told  you  to  do.  You  did  it 
well."  So  does  the  Spirit  also  desire  to  give 
us  witness,  'Tour  work  is  accepted,  I  am 
pleased  with  your  service."  Our  mission  is 
not  difficult  to  know.  When  Jesus  gave  the 
final  commission  to  His  apostles  and  also  to 
us,  he  said,  "Go  ye  therefore,  and  make 
disciples  of  all  the  nations,  baptizing  them 
into  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son 
and  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  teaching  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  commanded 
you"  (Matt.  28:19,  20).  Is  this  mission 
difficult  to   know?     Surely   not.     This    is 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  65 

what  the  angel  in  Philadelphia  had  done. 
The  Master  gives  him  witness,  'Thou  hast 
kept  my  word,  thou  hast  not  denied  my 
name,  thou  hast  kept  the  word  of  my 
patience.  There  I  will  bring  thine  enemies 
to  thy  feet  and  I  have  given  thee  an  open 
door  and  no  one  can  shut  it:  I  will  also 
keep  thee  in  the  hour  of  trial  which  shall 
come  upon  all  that  dwell  on  the  earth."  All 
these  promises  were  made  sure  to  him  upon 
past  faithfulness.  Oh,  may  God  grant  us 
such  faithfulness  to  Christ  and  His  word. 
Notice  what  an  exceeding  great  promise  is 
now  given  unto  him  upon  holding  fast  what 
he  had.  Even  this  unspeakably  great 
promise,  "I  come  quickly:  hold  fast  that 
which  thou  hast,  that  no  one  take  thy 
crown."  This  message  reveals  us  what  is 
needed  to  inherit  the  promise  of  the  coming 
of  Christ,  to  keep  His  word  and  the  faith  in 
His  name  (as  Savior  from  sin)  to  keep  the 
word  of  His  patience  towards  those  who 
oppose  the  truth  as  He  had  patience  with 
them.  "For  consider  him  that  hath  en- 
dured such   gainsaying   of  sinners   against 


66  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

himself,  that  ye  wax  not  weary,  fainting  in 
your  souls"  (Heb,  12:3).  Holding  fast  the 
above  important  things  makes  us  worthy 
before  God  to  receive  this  so  valuable 
promise,  "I  come  quickly."  The  person  or 
church  that  will  be  so  favored  of  the  grace 
of  God  to  receive  this  promise  is  made 
thereby  the  blessing  to  all  the  rest  of  God's 
people.  Abraham  was  made  the  great  bless- 
ing because  he  was  the  bearer  of  the  prom- 
ise of  the  coming  Messiah.  And  so  was  also 
the  tribe  of  Judah  and  all  Israel,  because 
they  were  the  promise  bearers  of  the  prom- 
ised Saviour  of  the  whole  world.  This 
promise  is  offered  to  anyone  who  will  meet 
the  conditions.  We  read  in  Heb.  10:35-37, 
"Cast  not  away  therefore  your  boldness, 
which  has  great  recompence  of  reward.  For 
ye  have  need  of  patience,  that,  having  done 
the  will  of  God,  ye  may  receive  the  promise. 
For  yet  a  very  little  while.  He  that  cometh 
shall  come,  and  shall  not  tarry."  God  ful- 
fills His  promises  and  words  of  prophecy 
by  giving  them  to  His  chosen  ones  to  hold. 
We   are  to   keep   them.     "Behold   I   come 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  67 

quickly.  Blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the 
words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book"  (Rev. 
22:7).  Have  we  done  this?  Christ  is 
desirous  to  come,  but  He  is  waiting  on  His 
bride  to  make  herself  ready  for  His  coming 
and  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb.  She 
must  become  obedient  to  all  His  command- 
ments and  she  must  be  clothed  in  linen, 
bright  and  clean.  She  must  first  finish  the 
work  that  is  laid  upon  her  to  do  and  then 
He  will  come.  Only  after  our  obedience  to 
the  words  of  these  prophecies  in  Revelation 
can  we  inherit  the  promise  of  His  second 
coming,  not  before.  "I  come  quickly:  hold 
fast  that  which  thou  hast,  that  no  one  take 
thy  crown."  This  is  the  great  warning 
given  to  this  angel  and  church  in  Philadel- 
phia. This  faithful  servant  had  yet  to  over- 
come in  keeping  fast  that  which  he  had.  It 
is  one  thing  to  obey  perfectly  and  it  is 
another  thing  to  remain  in  this  obedience* 
It  is  one  task  to  make  ourselves  worthy  to 
receive  a  valuable  promise,  and  it  is  quite 
another  task  to  hold  that  promise  fast  until 
it  is  fulfilled  on  us.     Especially  when  the 


68  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

enemy  gets  a  chance  to  storm  us  from 
every  side.  Or  when  we  ourselves  fall  into 
some  fleshly  or  spiritual  weakness,  does  it 
become  rather  hard  to  believe  that  we  are 
still  the  bearers  of  the  valuable  promise. 
Oh,  how  we  need  to  be  armed  with  the 
shield  of  faith  and  with  the  whole  armor  of 
God  against  the  fiery  darts  and  wiles  of  the 
devil.  Therefore  is  the  warning  in  this 
message,  "Hold  fast  that  which  thou  hast, 
that  no  one  take  thy  crown."  What  does 
Jesus  offer  to  the  overcomer  that  holds  fast 
his  word  and  the  faith  in  his  name,  the 
word  of  his  patience  and  the  promise  of  his 
coming?  Here  it  is,  **He  that  overcometh, 
I  will  make  him  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my 
God,  and  he  shall  go  out  thence  no  more: 
and  I  will  write  upon  him  the  name  of  my 
God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  my  God, 
the  new  Jerusalem,  which  cometh  down  out 
of  heaven  from  my  God,  and  mine  own  new 
name.  He  that  has  an  ear,  let  him  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches." 

Rev.  3:14-22.     And  to  the  angel  of  the  church 
in  Laodicea  write: 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  69 

These  things  saith  the  Amen,   the   faithful  and 
true  witness,  the  beginning  of  the  creation  of  God: 
15  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold  nor 
hot:    I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.     16  So  because 
thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither  hot  nor  cold,  I  will 
spew  thee  out  of  my  mouth.     17  Because  thou  sayest, 
I  am  rich,  and  have  gotten  riches,  and  have  need  of 
nothing;   and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  the  wretched 
one  and  miserable  and  poor  and  blind  and  naked :  18 
I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  refined  by  fire,  that 
thou  mayest  become  rich;    and  white  garments,  that 
thou  mayest  clothe  thyself,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy 
nakedness  be  not  made  manifest;    and  eye-salve  to 
anoint  thine  eyes,  that  thou  mayest  see.     19  As  many 
as  I  love,  I  reprove  and  chasten:    be  zealous  there- 
fore, and  repent.    20  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock :   if  any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door, 
I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he 
with  me.    21  He  that  overcometh,  I  will  give  to  him 
to  sit  down  with  me  in  my  throne,  as  I  also  over- 
came, and  sat  down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne.  22 
He  that  hath  an  ear,   let  him  hear  what  the   Spirit 
saith  to  the  churches. 

Oh,  how  faithful  Christ  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  are  to  reprove  and  chastize  us  when 
we  have  backslidden.  Never  can  we  thank 
God  enough  for  showing  us  so  completely 
our  self-righteous  and   deceived   condition. 


70  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

How  could  we  repent  when  we  are  so 
deceived  as  this  church  in  Laodicea,  if  no 
one  would  reprove  us  and  show  us  our 
diseased  condition?  Notice  that  the  Spirit 
sees  nothing  at  all  in  this  angel  and  church 
worthy  of  praise  or  acceptance.  No  good 
whatever  of  any  kind  is  mentioned  in  the 
message  to  this  church.  What  does  the 
Spirit  do  with  a  church  that  is  wretched, 
and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  na- 
ked? He  calls  it  to  repentance,  although  He 
threatens  to  spew  it  out  of  His  mouth.  The 
Spirit  says,  *'I  love  thee  yet  and  so  I  reprove 
and  chasten  thee.  Thou  art  very,  very  bad, 
yet  there  is  help.  Thou  art  very,  very  sick, 
but  I  have  yet  a  healing  salve  for  thee. 
Thou  hast  turned  me  out,  (for  I  am  outside,) 
but  I  have  not  given  thee  up  yet.  I  am  still 
very  near  thee,  even  at  thy  door,  and  I  am 
knocking  for  admittance.  Will  you  let  me 
in  ?  I  shall  sup  with  thee  and  you  with  me. 
You  are  deceived.  You  do  not  see  your 
shame.  But  I  see  it.  Come  and  buy  of  me 
white  garments:  gold  refined  in  the  fire; 
eyesalve   that  you   may   see,   for  you   are 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  71 

blind.  I  do  not  want  you  to  remain  in  this 
blind  and  poor  condition.  I  want  you  to  be 
rich  with  my  goods.  I  want  to  bring  you  to 
honor  for  I  have  created  you  for  my  glory, 
and  for  my  throne  and  kingdom.  If  you 
repent  and  overcome,  you  shall  sit  with  me 
on  my  throne  as  I  also  overcame  and  am  sat 
down  with  my  father  on  his  throne."  Let 
us  not  overlook  this  fact  of  God's  grace, 
that  after  the  sharp  words  of  chastisement 
of  this  church,  the  Spirit  comes  with  the 
healing  balm  of  His  love  and  shows  to  this 
backsliding  church  God's  throne  as  the 
place  unto  which  she  was  chosen  to  attain. 
Oh,  may  we  learn  of  this  example  how  the 
Spirit  treats  a  person  or  a  church  that  is  in 
the  condition  like  the  one  in  Laodicea.  The 
question  is,  do  we  love  a  Laodicean  church? 
Do  we  stand  in  the  gap  for  their  repentance 
and  salvation,  that  the  devil  be  defeated  to 
deceive  such  a  person  or  church  any  long- 
er? Do  we  take  a  stand  like  Moses  did  in 
the  wilderness  for  a  stiffnecked  unbelieving 
people  on  whom  the  sentence  of  judgment 
was  pronounced  by  the  angel  of  God?  "I 


n  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

will  destroy  them  with  pestilence."  Even 
much  severer  is  the  sentence  upon  the 
Laodicean  church,  "I  will  spew  thee  out  of 
my  mouth."  But  Moses  stood  in  the  gap 
with  his  intercession  and  obtained  pardon 
for  them.  And  this  stubborn  and  sinful 
people  were  finally  led  into  Canaan,  the 
land  of  their  inheritance.  Though  many  of 
them  died  under  the  chastening  rod  of  God, 
yet  their  children  entered  in.  God  did  not 
destroy  them  with  pestilence,  because  of  an 
intercessor  between  them  and  their  God. 
What  is  the  stand  we  take  towards  a 
Laodicean  church?  Are  we  going  to  let 
the  devil  have  them  or  shall  the  Son  of  God 
have  them?  Who  has  a  right  to  them  any- 
way, God  or  the  devil?  Shall  Christ  lose 
the  value  of  His  blood  for  them  all?  Shall 
His  suffering  and  dying  labors  be  entirely 
lost  for  them?  Has  God  yet  a  way  to  bring 
them  to  repentance?  Yes,  the  way  of 
chastisement  and  tribulation.  See  Rev.  7: 
9-15.  God  can  throw  us  into  the  furnace  of 
affliction  to  bring  us  to  repentance  and  to 
reveal  us  the  works  of  Christ.    He  did  that 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  IZ 

with  His  people  Israel  when  he  sent  them  to 
Assyria  and  Babylon,  but  they  remained 
His  people  even  there.  They  had  lost  their 
land,  their  kingdom,  their  priest  office.  They 
were  cut  off  but  not  forever.  The  heathen 
should  not  always  rule  over  them.  They 
had  a  bright  future  promised  to  them  yet, 
and  even  up  to  this  day  have  they  a  bright 
future  awaiting  them,  though  they  are  scat- 
tered among  all  nations.  By  this  we  see 
that  those  who  made  intercession  for  Israel 
when  they  had  fallen  from  God  did  not  lose 
their  labors.  God  showed  them  His  Word 
of  prophecy  to  restore  them  again.  We 
need  not  and  should  not  give  up  a  person 
or  a  church  that  God  has  not  given  up. 
This  was  the  case  in  Laodicea.  God  has  not 
given  them  up  yet,  but  Christ  knocked  at 
their  door  wanting  to  win  them  for  His 
bride.  The  Spirit's  work  in  this  message, 
like  in  the  others  before,  is  to  prepare  the 
churches  for  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  it 
should  always  be  our  highest  aim  in  the 
Master's  service  to  prepare  the  people  and 
especially  the  churches  for  the  coming  of 


74  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  take  His  own  unto 
Himself.  We  miss  the  best  if  we  do  not 
have  this  in  view. 

Closing  remarks  in  general  on  the  sev- 
en messages  to  the  churches  in  Revelation 
2  and  3. 

There  are  two  churches  of  the  seven 
that  are  blameless.  Five  were  defiled.  No- 
tice that  to  all  these  five,  repentance  is 
commanded  of  them  and  great  promises  are 
offered  to  them.  The  Master  does  not  want 
to  lose  any  of  them.  It  is  painful  to  Him 
to  give  any  up  since  He  died  to  bring  them 
to  God's  glory.  The  thing  to  do  is  not  to 
think  how  deeply  you  have  fallen  into  dis- 
obedience and  shame,  but  to  repent  and  get 
back  to  the  right  standing  with  God.  The 
greatest  fall  is  not  that  we  have  fallen  from 
the  true  way,  but  the  greatest  fall  consists 
in  this  that  we  do  not  repent  after  we  have 
fallen.  This  is  the  greatest  wrong  we  do  to 
ourselves  and  to  Christ,  that  after  we  have 
tumbled  into  divers  sins,  we  neglect  the 
offered  mercy  to  come  back  and  renew  our 
obedience  to  Christ.     Not  to  wash  in  the 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  75 

blood  of  the  Lamb  after  we  have  stained 
ourselves  all  over  is  the  greatest  fall.    The 

angels  in  heaven  rejoice  over  a  lost  sheep 
that  is  found,  as  over  one  sinner  that  re- 
penteth,  more  than  over  ninety-nine  just 
persons  which  need  no  repentance.  Think 
of  the  prodigal  son  in  Luke  15;  how  the 
father  ran  to  meet  him,  when  he  was  yet  a 
great  way  off.  He  decided  to  come  back  to 
father's  house.  He  repented  of  his  actions. 
He  came  back  to  obey  his  father.  He  was 
gloriously  received.  All  his  sins  were  for- 
given and  forgotten  by  the  father.  He  was 
clothed  anew  from  head  to  foot.  The  father 
made  a  feast  for  him  and  greatly  rejoiced  to 
have  his  son  back  again. 

Dear  brother  or  sister,  you  may  be  in  a 
condition  like  the  church  in  Ephesus  which 
fell  from  the  first  love  to  God's  Word  or 
you  may  be  in  a  condition  of  fornication 
like  the  one  in  Pergamum,  joined  to  worldly 
worship,  a  member  of  the  yoke  of  un- 
believers, or  probably  you  are  defiled  with 
adultery  like  the  one  in  Thyatira,  or  have 
you  become  neglectful  of  your  calling  of 


76  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

the  Lord  like  the  angel  in  Sardis,  having 
only  a  name  but  no  works,  no  fruit.  Or  is 
your  condition  as  bad  as  the  Laodicean 
church  which  had  nothing  of  Christ  any- 
more and  yet  boasted  in  its  selfrighteous- 
ness,  being  deceived?  Are  you  in  one  or 
more  of  these  defiled  conditions?  Take 
heart  and  courage  to  repent  and  get  right 
with  God  again.  This  is  your  God-given 
and  blessed  privilege.  It  takes  a  man  (not 
a  coward)  to  repent  and  confess  his  shame 
before  God  (and  before  man  if  need  be). 
God  has  provided  in  the  atonement  of  His 
Son  a  remedy  to  purge  the  sin  of  our  whole 
life,  so  that  the  multitude  of  our  sins  cannot 
keep  us  away  from  God.  But  the  question 
is,  do  we  make  use  of  this  remedy  or  do  we 
make  this  greatest  mistake,  to  let  sin  multi- 
ply upon  us  until  we  can  no  more  believe  in 
the  greatness  of  God's  forgiving  mercy? 

Maybe  you  have  been  true  and  faithful 
to  Christ  like  the  angel  and  church  in 
Smyrna  or  like  the  one  in  Philadelphia; 
then  observe  the  warning,  "Be  thou  faithful 
unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  the  crown 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  11 

of  life."  '*I  come  quickly:  hold  fast  that 
which  thou  hast,  that  no  one  take  thy 
crown."  He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit 
wonderfully  great  promises.  Though  we 
have  been  faithful,  we  need  yet  to  overcome 
to  inherit  the  coming  of  Christ  and  His 
glorious  kingdom.  God  grant  us  to  over- 
come, that  He  may  rejoice  over  us  and  do 
us  good  in  fulfilling  His  precious  promises 
to  us  and  to  all  His  saints.  Amen  and 
amen. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  OPEN  DOOR  INTO  HEAVEN 

Rev.  4:1-3.  After  these  things  I  saw,  and 
behold,  a  door  opened  in  heaven,  and  the  first  voice 
that  I  heard,  a  voice  as  of  a  trumpet  speaking  with 
me,  one  saying.  Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  show  thee 
the  things  which  must  come  to  pass  hereafter.  2 
Straightway  I  was  in  the  Spirit:  and  behold,  there 
was  a  throne  set  in  heaven,  and  one  sitting  upon 
the  throne;  3  and  he  that  sat  was  to  look  upon  like 
a  jasper  stone  and  a  sardius:  and  there  was  a  rain- 
bow round  about  the  throne,  like  an  emerald  to  look 
upon. 

In  the  seven  messages  of  chapter  2  and 
3  the  Spirit  revealed  to  the  apostle  John  the 
condition  of  the  church  of  Christ  upon 
earth.  Now  in  chapter  4  and  5  the  Spirit 
causes  the  apostle  to  look  into  heaven.  "A 
door  opened  in  heaven."  "A  voice  as  of  a 
trumpet  speaking  with  me,  one  saying, 
Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  show  thee  the 
things  which  must  come  to  pass  hereafter." 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  79 

O  dear  brother,  this  does  not  refer  to  the 
rapture  or  translation  of  the  church;  but 
this  opened  door  into  heaven  and  this  voice 
calling,  "Come  up  hither,"  is  given  to  the 
church  or  servants  of  Christ  for  a  qualifica- 
tion or  endowment  of  power  to  fully  arm 
them  for  the  mission  and  work  which  they 
are  yet  to  do.  The  apostle  John  represents 
the  Church  here  in  Rev.  4:1-3  and  through 
the  open  door  in  heaven  we  are  connected 
with  the  overcoming  powers  of  God  ruling 
on  the  throne  in  heaven.  We  see  God  on 
the  throne.  We  see  the  overcoming  Church 
of  God  active  in  heaven  around  God's 
throne  and  through  this  sight  or  knowledge, 
we  become  connected  with  their  works, 
which  gives  us  overcoming  power  against 
all  the  power  of  Satan  and  his  rulers  on 
earth  to  finish  the  mission  which  God  has 
laid  upon  us.  As  the  apostle  John  repre- 
sents the  Church  here  in  Rev.  4:1-3,  so  he 
also  represents  the  Church  or  us  in  Rev.  10: 
8-1 1  where  the  heavenly  voice  speaks  again 
to  John  and  gives  him  another  mission.  This 
shows  us  that  the  work  of  the  Church  on 


80  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

earth  was  not  yet  done  in  chapter  4:1-3. 
**And  the  voice  which  I  heard  from  heaven, 
I  heard  it  again  speaking  with  me,  and  say- 
ing. Go,  take  the  book  which  is  open  in  the 
hand  of  the  angel  that  standeth  upon  the 
sea  and  upon  the  earth.  And  I  went  unto 
the  angel,  saying  unto  him  that  he  should 
give  me  the  little  book.  And  he  saith  unto 
me.  Take  it,  and  eat  it  up;  and  it  shall  make 
thy  belly  bitter,  but  in  thy  mouth  it  shall  be 
sweet  as  honey.  And  I  took  the  little  book 
out  of  the  angel's  hand,  and  ate  it  up;  and 
it  was  in  my  mouth  sweet  as  honey;  and 
when  I  had  eaten  it,  my  belly  was  made 
bitter.  And  they  say  unto  me.  Thou  must 
prophesy  again  over  many  peoples  and  na- 
tions and  tongues  and  kings"  (Rev.  10: 
8-11).  This  passage  proves  that  the  Church 
receives  an  open  door  in  heaven  and  is 
called  up  by  the  heavenly  voice  to  receive  a 
special  prophetic  mission  to  be  delivered  by 
her  to  many  peoples,  nations,  tongues,  and 
kings.  Isaiah  and  Ezekiel  were  qualified 
for  their  mission  in  a  similar  way.  See  Isa. 
6  and  Eze.  2  and  3.    They  saw  the  heavenly 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  81 

hosts  by  the  open  vision  into  heaven  and 
were  thus  prepared  for  their  prophetic  mis- 
sion which  they  had  to  perform  for  Israel 
and  the  heathen  kings  and  nations.  Let  us 
refer  to  the  apostle  Paul,  how  he  was  fully 
established  for  his  mission  as  an  apostle  of 
Christ.  He  was  caught  up  into  the  third 
lieaven,  into  Paradise  and  heard  unspeak- 
able words  He  needed  such  an  establish- 
ment for  the  great  mission  which  he  was  to 
perform.  It  seems  that  he  had  a  special 
mission  above  the  other  apostles  to  be  the 
teacher  and  apostle  not  to  the  Jews  only  but 
also  to  the  Gentiles  especially.  Through 
his  letters  to  the  Romans,  Corinthians,  Ga- 
latians,  Ephesians,  etc.  he  speaks  today  to 
all  nations  upon  earth.  It  was  especially 
through  him,  according  to  Christ's  choice, 
that  God  gave  to  the  nations  on  earth  the 
new  law  of  life  and  peace  which  is  to  be 
written  in  their  mind  and  heart.  For  such  a 
great  mission  as  the  apostle  Paul  had,  he 
needed  such  a  vision  into  heaven  as  God 
gave  him  according  to  II  Cor.  12:1-4.  Since 
the  church  or  the  special  chosen  servants  of 


82  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

God  have  yet  a  prophetic  mision  to  fulfil 
according  to  Rev.  10:8-11  therefore  they 
need  such  an  establishment  by  a  look 
through  the  opened  door  into  heaven  as 
revealed  in  Rev.  4:1-3  and  farther  on  in  the 
book. 

O  dear  brother,  think  what  an  encour- 
agement that  is  to  us  to  see  into  the  sanctu- 
ary of  God  in  heaven  especially  in  chapters 
4,  5  and  12.  To  our  joy  we  see  the  over- 
comer  of  God's  people.  The  one  who  raises 
up  the  defiled  and  divided  Church  of  God. 
We  also  see  our  Father  on  the  throne.  He 
is  to  look  upon  like  a  jasper  stone  and  a 
sardius:  signifying  purity,  brightness  and 
hardness,  unreceivable  of  any  stain  of  de- 
filement or  darkness.  And  then  think  that 
this  holy,  and  all  glorious  one,  is  your 
Father.  You  are  to  be  born  of  Him.  You 
are  to  inherit  His  nature.  The  son  is  to 
become  in  nature  like  His  Father.  He  is  to 
resemble  Him.  We  sink  in  shame  and 
nothingness  when  we  think  of  such  a  One 
as  being  our  Father  and  that  we  are  even 
commanded  by  Christ  to  call  no  one  Father 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  83 

on  earth;  but  to  call  the  one  in  heaven  our 
Father  so  as  to  inherit  His  life  and  holiness 
(Matt.  23:9;  Heb.  12:9,  10).  There  is  also 
a  rainbow  round  about  the  throne:  around 
the  Father  who  sits  on  the  throne:  and  the 
rainbow  is  like  an  emerald  to  look  upon. 
Think  what  this  rainbow,  given  after  the 
flood,  upon  Noah's  offering,  signifies  to  us 
yet  today.  It  is  a  messenger  of  peace,  tell- 
ing us  that  God  remembers  His  covenant 
promises,  that  He  will  never  cause  another 
flood  to  come  upon  earth  to  destroy  man 
and  beast  (Gen.  8:18-22  and  9:1-17).  Re- 
member that  God  did  not  give  this  promise 
and  the  seal  of  the  rainbow  immediately 
after  the  punishment  of  the  flood,  but  He 
gave  it  to  Noah  immediately  after  Noah 
offered  unto  the  Lord  a  burnt  offering  of 
every  clean  beast  and  of  every  clean  fowl: 
and  the  Lord  smelt  the  sweet  savour.  ''And 
Jehovah  said  in  his  heart,  I  will  not  again 
curse  the  ground  any  more  for  man's  sake, 
for  that  the  imagination  of  man's  heart  is 
evil  from  his  youth;  neither  will  I  again 
smite  any  more  everything  living,  as  I  have 


84  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

done."  God  faithfully  kept  this  promise 
ever  since,  though  men  have  been  very, 
very  wicked.  The  offering  of  clean  animals 
that  Noah  offered  to  the  Lord  pointed  first 
to  the  great  sin  and  burnt  offering  of  Christ 
on  the  cross,  the  offering  which  God  Him- 
self gave  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world. 
"For  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself,  not  reckoning  unto 
them  their  tresspasses"  (II  Cor.  5:19).  "All 
we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray:  we  have 
turned  every  one  to  his  own  way:  and 
Jehovah  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us 
air  (Isa.  53:6).  Through  this  offering  is 
God  now  reconciled  to  the  world  and  there- 
fore is  that  rainbow  round  the  throne  of 
the  Father  in  heaven.  He  remembers  our 
sins  no  more.  "Their  sins  and  their  iniqui- 
ties will  I  remember  no  more"  (Heb.  10: 
17).  But  God  ever  remembers  the  offering 
of  His  Son  for  the  sins  of  the  world.  He 
constantly  remembers  that  He  laid  our  sins 
and  all  our  iniquities  on  Christ,  the  Lamb 
of  God  who  took  away  the  sins  of  the 
world.     God   remembers   this   for  me,    for 


THE     BOOK    OF    REVELATION  85 

you,  dear  reader,  and  for  all  who  do  believe 
on  His  Son.  And  as  a  covenant  seal  of  the 
above  offering  and  promises  He  placed  this 
rainbow  round  Him  and  His  throne  in 
heaven.  This  rainbow  is  not  only  placed  in 
one  direction  from  the  throne  but  round 
about  the  throne:  and  all  nations  east  and 
west,  north  and  south  are  remembered  as 
reconciled  to  God  and  their  sins  are  not 
remembered  against  them,  if  they  believe 
on  Christ.  Otherwise  their  sin  of  unbelief 
will  be  remembered  against  them  with  pun- 
ishment. "He  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tized shall  be  saved;  but  he  that  disbeliev- 
eth  shall  be  condemned"  (Mark  16:16). 
The  unbeliever  who  believeth  not  that  his 
sins  were  laid  on  Christ  makes  God's  truth 
a  lie  to  himself,  and  brings  condemnation  to 
himself,  to  his  family,  and  to  all  those  that 
believe  his  deceptive  teaching.  Let  us  also 
notice  that  this  rainbow  is  like  an  emerald 
(a  stone  of  extra  beauty  and  brilliancy,  of 
beautiful  green. — Bible  Dictionary).  Such 
is  the  token  of  the  reconciliation  seal  be- 
tween  us   and  God.     Not  of  a   fading  or 


86  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

decaying  color  but  of  life  and  growth.  O 
brother,  look  up  into  the  sanctuary  of  God 
through  this  open  door  in  Rev.  4:1-3  and 
look  at  this  rainbow.  It  preaches  to  you 
peace:  that  you  and  your  house  are  recon- 
ciled to  God.  Glory  to  God,  amen  and 
amen. 

Rev.  4:4-11.  And  round  about  the  throne  were 
four  and  twenty  thrones :  and  upon  the  thrones  I  saw 
four  and  twenty  elders  sitting,  arrayed  in  white  gar- 
ments ;  and  on  their  heads  crowns  of  gold.  5  And  out 
of  the  throne  proceed  lightnings  and  voices  and  thun- 
ders. And  there  were  seven  lamps  of  fire  burning  be- 
fore the  throne,  which  are  the  seven  Spirits  of  God; 
6  and  before  the  throne,  as  it  were  a  sea  of  glass  like 
unto  crystal;  and  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and 
round  about  the  throne,  four  living  creatures  full  of 
eyes  before  and  behind-  7  And  the  first  creature  was 
like  a  lion,  and  the  second  creature  like  a  calf,  and 
the  third  creature  had  a  face  as  of  a  man,  and  the 
fourth  creature  was  like  a  flying  eagle.  8  And  the 
four  living  creatures,  having  each  one  of  them  six 
wings,  are  full  of  eyes  round  about  and  within:  and 
they  have  no  rest  day  and  night,  saying. 

Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  God,  the  Almighty, 
who  was  and  who  is  and  who  is  to  come. 
9   And   when   the   living   creatures   shall   give   glory 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  87 

and  honor  and  thanks  to  him  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne,  to  him  that  Hveth  for  ever  and  ever, 
10  the  four  and  tv^enty  elders  shall  fall  down 
before  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  shall 
worship  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  and  shall 
cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  saying, 

11  Worthy  art  thou,  our  Lord  and  our  God,  to 
receive  the  glory  and  the  honor  and  the  power: 
for  thou  didst  create  all  things,  and  because  of 
thy  will  they  were,  and  were  created. 

The  things  in  Revelation  are  very 
largely  revealed  to  us  through  the  types  or 
shadows  in  the  Old  Testament.  What  God 
did  under  the  law  for  Israel  is  the  shadow 
of  that  which  God  has  prepared  for  us  in 
Revelation  and  the  New  Testament  accord- 
ing to  the  following  scriptures:  "For  the 
law  having  a  shadow  of  the  good  things  to 
come,  not  the  very  image  of  the  things." 
"Who  serve  that  which  is  a  copy  and  shad- 
ow of  the  heavenly  things,  even  as  Moses  is 
warned  of  God  when  he  is  about  to  make 
the  tabernacle:  for  see,  saith  he,  that  thou 
make  all  things  according  to  the  pattern 
that  was  showed  thee  on  the  mount."  "It 
was  necessary  therefore  that  the  copies  of 


88  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

the  things  in  the  heavens  should  be 
cleansed  with  these;  but  the  heavenly 
things  themselves  with  better  sacrifices 
than  these.  For  Christ  entered  not  into  a 
holy  place  made  with  hands,  like  in  pattern 
to  the  true"  (Heb.  10:1;  8:5  and  9:23,  24). 
In  the  above  scriptures  we  see  that  Israel's 
priesthood  and  tabernacle  was  a  pattern  to 
the  true  one  we  now  have  in  heaven.  Their 
priesthood,  consisting  of  Aaron  as  high 
priest,  and  his  sons  as  priests  with  him,  in 
the  earthly  tabernacle  were  also  clothed  in 
priestly  garments  (See  Ex.  28:40-43).  Our 
tabernacle  is  in  the  sanctuary  of  God  in 
heaven  as  seen  in  Rev.  4  and  5  and  farther 
on  in  the  book.  Our  priesthood  consists  of 
Christ  as  high  priest  in  His  glorified  state 
as  revealed  in  Rev.  1:13-16.  But  there  are 
also  twenty-four  elders  there  clothed  in 
white  garments  and  besides  them  four  liv- 
ing creatures  or  beasts.  These  four  beasts 
and  twenty-four  elders  are  all  priests  with 
Christ,  for  they  serve  and  worship  God  day 
and  night  without  taking  any  rest.  They 
serve  God  for  us  with  Christ,  as  Aaron*s 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  89 

sons  served  God  for  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel  with  Aaron  in  the  tabernacle.  Aa- 
ron's sons  took  the  offering  of  the  people 
and  brought  it  on  the  altar  before  the  Lord: 
so  do  these  four  living  creatures  and  twen- 
ty-four elders  have  our  prayer  offerings  in 
golden  vials  and  these  prayers  are  brought 
before  the  Lord  (See  Rev.  5:8,  and  compare 
chapter  8:3-6).  Israel's  sin  and  other  sac- 
rificial offerings  were  not  for  all  nations, 
but  only  for  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel; 
but  the  sin  offering  of  our  high  priest, 
Jesus  Christ,  on  the  cross  makes  atonement 
for  the  whole  world.  He  has  purchased  for 
God  with  His  blood  men  out  of  every  tribe 
and  tongue  and  people  and  nation  and  has 
made  them  unto  God  a  kingdom  and 
priests.  Therefore  every  tongue,  tribe,  peo- 
ple and  nation  is  now  represented  in 
Christ's  priesthood  in  the  tabernacle  of  God 
in  heaven — not  merely  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel  but  all  the  heathen  as  well.  These 
four  beasts  or  living  creatures  no  doubt 
represent  the  heathen  world,  since  the 
heathen  world  is  divided  into  four  parts: 


90  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

tongues,  tribes,  peoples,  and  nations  and  al- 
so because  the  heathen  are  represented  in 
the  Scriptures  as  beasts.  The  four  king- 
doms that  were  yet  to  exist  of  the  heathen 
world  revealed  to  Daniel,  were  all  named 
by  the  name  of  beasts  (Dan.  7).  But  what 
of  this  that  the  four  living  creatures  are 
priests  with  Christ  for  the  heathen,  and  the 
twenty-four  elders  priests  with  Christ  for 
all  Israel?  We  know  that  Christ  the  high 
priest  stands  as  a  Mediator  between  God 
and  all  men.  'Tor  there  is  one  God,  one 
mediator  also  between  God  and  men,  Him- 
self man.  Christ  Jesus  who  gave  Himself 
a  ransom  for  all"  (I  Tim.  2:5).  He  tells  us 
to  pray  for  all  men  and  should  He  not  do 
the  same?  Yet  He  has  beside  Him  His 
priesthood  consisting  in  these  four  living 
creatures  and  twenty-four  elders  who  do 
worship  God  day  and  night  saying,  "Holy, 
holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  God,  the  Almighty, 
who  was  and  who  is  and  is  to  come."  Who 
are  they  but  the  firstfruits  of  His  resurrec- 
tion, and  were  placed  with  Him  in  the 
priest's  office  in  the  sanctuary  in  heaven. 


THE     BOOK     OF     REVELATION  9r 

In  like  manner  Aaron  and  his  sons  were 
placed  in  the  tabernacle  as  God's  chosen 
priests,  that  he  might  through  them  bless 
all  the  tribes  of  Israel.     Remember  when 
Jesus  arose  from  the  dead  that  many  of  the 
saints  arose  with  Him.     "And  the  tombs 
were  opened;  and  many  bodies  of  the  saints 
that   had    fallen    asleep    were    raised;    and 
coming  forth  out  of  the  tombs  after  His 
resurrection  they  entered  into  the  holy  city 
and    appeared   unto   many"    (Matt.   27:52, 
53).     These  were   the   first   fruits   of  His 
resurrection.    Israel's  priesthood  was  taken 
out   of  themselves;   not  of  the   angels   in 
heaven  but  out  of  men  on  earth.     So  was 
Christ  according  to  the  flesh  taken  out  of 
man  and  we  believe  that  these  twenty-four 
elders  and  the  four  living  creatures  were 
also  taken  out  of  humanity.     Although  it 
is  not  the  most  important  thing  to  under- 
stand their  source,  yet  it  is  very  important 
that  we  see  in  these  twenty-four  elders  and 
four  beasts  servants  of  God  for  us,  or  that 
God  through  their  holy  and  faithful  service 
can  bless  us  and  fulfil  His  promises  to  us. 


92  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Oh,  what  a  great  benefit  it  was  for  Israel  to 
have  Aaron  and  his  sons  minister  unto  God 
in  their  priestly  garments  in  the  tabernacle, 
which  was  a  pattern  of  the  true  tabernacle 
now  in  heaven.  But  a  far  greater  benefit  is 
Christ  to  us  with  His  other  priests  in  heav- 
en as  revealed  to  us  here  in  Rev.  4  and  5. 
Just  think  of  the  service  they  are  doing; 
they  have  no  rest  day  and  night,  saying, 
''Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord,  the  Al- 
mighty." But  to  receive  any  benefit  of  God 
through  them  I  must  appropriate  these 
blessings  to  me.  God  has  instituted  a  priest- 
hood on  earth  through  His  Church,  just  as" 
the  tribes  of  Levi  were  chosen  of  God  and 
placed  as  priests  all  through  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel  outside  of  the  tabernacle. 
So  are  we  here  on  earth  as  God's  priests 
scattered  among  all  nations;  but  God  has  a 
holy  priesthood  in  heaven  and  we  need  to 
be  connected  with  them.  To  see  them  will 
be  victory  and  great  encouragement  for  us. 
And  therefore  is  the  door  opened  to  us,  as 
servants  of  God,  here  in  Rev.  4:1  for  our 
strength  and  overcoming  power.    We  need 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  93 

to  see  the  conquering  powers  in  heaven ;  for 
if  we  but  see  the  weaknesses  in  ourselves 
and  in  our  brethren  with  the  many  manifes- 
tations of  Satan's  power  around  us,  we  can- 
not hold  the  field  nor  can  we  finish  the 
work  which  God  has  laid  upon  us.  Notice 
that  the  twenty-four  elders  are  on  twenty- 
four  thrones  round  about  the  throne  of  God 
the  Father.  They  are  ruling  with  God. 
One  who  is  on  a  throne  rules.  But  why 
should  that  concern  us  that  they  are  on 
thrones  in  heaven  ruling  with  God  and 
Christ?  Does  it  mean  much  to  the  citizens 
of  a  state  or  a  nation  when  they  have  faith- 
ful men  as  representatives  in  the  capital 
working  for  their  best  interest?  These 
twenty-four  elders  and  four  living  creatures 
are  one  with  Christ  and  the  Father  in 
desiring  to  do  us  good.  They  are  all  against 
the  devil.  They  are  all  for  God  and  Christ, 
and  for  humanity.  They  are  all  working 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  the  saints  of  God 
ready  so  that  the  coming  of  Christ  can  be 
fulfilled  to  us.  This  is  the  great  aim  in 
view,  which  will  surely  accomplish  its  pur- 


94  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

pose  in  causing  Satan  to  be  dethroned  and 
in  placing  Christ  on  the  throne  of  David 
over  this  whole  earth.  Therefore  are  these 
twenty-four  elders  and  four  priests  of  God 
in  heaven  a  great  blessing  to  us.  So  much 
so  that  we  cannot  value  it  enough.  The 
citizen  of  God's  kingdom  sees  God  and 
Christ  on  the  throne.  He  sees  these  twen- 
ty-four elders  and  the  other  four  priests 
and  many  angels  ruling  with  God  on  the 
throne  in  heaven.  The  citizen  on  earth 
sees  man  on  the  throne  on  earth.  He  may 
see  Satan  on  the  throne  but  he  has  not  the 
vision  above  into  heaven  to  see  God  and 
His  mighty  ones  on  the  throne.  He  does 
not  see  the  open  door.  O,  servant  of  God 
and  child  of  God,  look  up  and  you  will  see 
victory  in  God's  sanctuary  for  the  people 
of  God  on  earth  and  in  heaven.  These 
twenty-four  elders  have  crowns  of  gold  on 
their  heads,  undoubtedly  as  a  reward  of 
their  victories  wrought  on  earth  for  their 
Master.  We  read  in  Heb.  11  of  some  who 
subdued  kingdoms  for  God  by  their  faith. 
Think  how  the  three  men  in  the  fiery  fur- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  95 

nace  and  Daniel  in  the  lion's  den,  through 
their  faith  compelled  the  kingdom  of  this 
world  to  believe  in  the  God  of  Israel.  Think 
of  the  prophets  and  men  of  God  in  the  Old 
Testament  who  laid  down  their  lives  for  the 
Word  of  God.  But  God  surely  crowned 
them  with  crowns  of  gold. 

"And  out  of  the  throne  proceed  light- 
nings and  voices  and  thunders  and  there 
are  seven  lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the 
throne  which  are  the  seven  Spirits  of  God." 
O  what  a  power-house  is  revealed  to  the 
servants  of  God  here.  We  must  be  con- 
nected with  this  power  above  just  as  the 
electric  railway  car  must  be  connected  with 
the  power  in  the  wire  above  in  order  to 
speed  along.  These  seven  lamps  of  fire 
burning  before  the  throne  which  are  the 
seven  Spirits  of  God,  is  the  ever  given  and 
inexhaustible  power  to  which  we  need  to 
be  attached.  There  is  also  a  sea  of  glass 
before  the  throne  like  unto  crystal.  The 
way  to  the  throne  leads  through  a  glassy 
sea.  Remember  how  Israel  had  to  pass 
through  the  Red  Sea  to  escape  Pharaoh  and 


96  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

to  come  to  God  at  Mt.  Sinai.  Before  the 
sea  opened  for  them  to  pass  through,  they 
were  in  a  great  fear.  Behind  them  was  the 
enemy,  Pharaoh;  before  them  the  Red  Sea: 
But  after  they  were  on  the  other  side  they 
could  sing  the  song  of  perfect  deliverance 
from  their  enemy.  We  are  not  led  through 
the  Red  Sea  as  Israel  was,  but  we  are  led. 
through  the  sea  of  Christ's  blood  to  bathe 
ourselves  therein.  Just  as  the  priests  in 
the  Jewish  tabernacle  and  temple  were  com- 
pelled to  wash  their  bodies  in  the  laver  that 
was  placed  between  the  brazen  altar  and  the 
tent  of  meeting  (Ex.  40:7,  12).  In  the  tem- 
ple Solomon  ''made  the  molten  sea."  "He 
made  also  ten  lavers,  and  put  five  on  the 
right  hand,  and  five  on  the  left,  to  wash  in 
them.  They  would  use  the  ten  lavers 
for  washing  such  things  as  belonged 
to  the  burnt  offering,  but  the  sea  was 
for  the  priests  to  wash  in"  (II  Chron. 
4:2,  6).  This  washing  is  very  important. 
We  must  go  through  this  to  get  to  the 
throne.  This  is  the  way  we  are  being  led. 
'They  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  97 

white  in  the  blood  of  the  lamb.  Therefore 
are  they  before  the  throne  of  God;  and 
serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple" 
(Rev.  7:14,  15).  We  shall  touch  upon  this 
glassy  sea  later  on  in  chapter  15. 

Let  us  take  a  look  yet  at  the  living 
creatures.  "They  are  full  of  eyes  before 
and  behind,"  they  see  everywhere.  "And 
the  first  creature  was  like  a  lion,"  denoting 
strength;  "And  the  second  creature  was 
like  a  calf,"  denoting  youth;  "and  the  third 
creature  had  a  face  as  of  a  man,"  re- 
sembling man;  "and  the  fourth  creature, 
was  like  a  flying  eagle,"  denoting  kingship 
and  swiftness;  "and  the  four  living  crea- 
tures having  each  one  of  them  six  wings 
full  of  eyes  round  about  and  within."  Is  it 
possible  that  such  created  beings  could 
come  out  of  humanity?  Think  what  God 
does  in  the  animal  kingdom, — how  out  of 
an  ugly  looking  worm  he  makes  a  beautiful 
butterfly.  It  seems  that  in  these  four  living 
creatures,  not  only  the  heathen  world  is 
represented  as  first  fruits  at  God's  throne, 
but  also  beasts  and  birds.  The  creatures  and 


98  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

creation  have  the  promise  of  deliverance 
too  as  well  as  humanity.  But  why  should 
these  four  living  creatures  have  each  six 
wings  and  so  many  eyes?  Will  not  God  use 
them  to  carry  His  last  messengers  over  the 
earth  to  fully  prepare  the  way  with  their 
prophecy  for  Christ  to  come?  Remember 
how  the  prophet  Ezekiel  was  carried  by  the 
heavenly  airship  from  Chaldea  to  Jerusa- 
lem and  back  again  to  deliver  God's  mes- 
sages and  to  see  what  abominations  were 
going  on  in  Jerusalem  (Ezek.  1-11).  The 
world  is  inventing  air  ships  and  flying 
machines  now,  but  God  has  also  created 
flying  messengers  to  take  His  special  ser- 
vants to  all  countries  and  everywhere  in  the 
world.  They  are  full  of  eyes  before  and 
behind,  round  about  and  within.  Each  one 
has  six  wings.  Notice  in  Rev.  11  how  those 
two  witnesses  of  Christ  deliver  their  mes- 
sage over  the  world  in  one  short  time  of 
three  and  one  half  years.  But  let  us  turn 
back  and  repeat  what  these  four  living 
creatures  and  twenty  four  elders  are  doing 
now  in  their  service   in  the  tabernacle  in 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  99 

heaven.  "They  have  no  rest  day  and  night 
saying:  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  God, 
the  Almighty;  who  was  and  who  is  and  who 
is  to  come.  And  when  the  living  creatures 
shall  give  glory  and  honor  and  thanks  to 
him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  to  him 
that  liveth  forever  and  ever,  the  twenty- 
four  elders  shall  fall  down  before  him 
that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  shall  wor- 
ship  him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever  and 
shall  cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne 
saying:  worthy  art  thou  our  Lord  and  our 
God  to  receive  the  glory  and  the  honor  and 
the  power;  for  thou  didst  create  all  things 
and  because  of  thy  will  they  were  and  were 
created."  O,  Catholic  friend,  where  do  you 
see  Mary  acting  as  a  priestess  between  you 
and  Christ?  But  surely  are  these  twenty- 
four  elders  and  four  living  creatures  placed 
in  honor  in  the  sanctuary  of  God  in  heaven 
as  priests  to  minister  unto  God  with  Christ 
in  our  behalf.  We  need  to  recognize  those 
whom  God  has  made  priests  with  Christ  in 
the  heavenly  tabernacle  over  us,  to  bless  us 
through  their  holy  and  faithful  service  day 


100  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

and  night.  It  is  right  for  us  to  give  God 
thanks  for  them  and  for  their  service.  By 
so  doing  we  shall  be  blessed  through  their 
service.  They  give  God  thanks  for  the 
whole  creation.  These  24  Elders  as  priest 
for  Israel  or  for  all  nations  on  earth  have  a 
type  in  the  Old  Testament.  Notice  how  Da- 
vid organized  the  temple's  service  with  24 
Elders  in  Aaron's  priesthood.  See  I  Chron. 
24:1-19.  So  the  24  Elders  here  in  Rev.  4  are 
foreshadowed  in  Aaron's  priesthood,  both  as 
to  their  number  and  to  their  priestly  office. 


CHAPTER  V 
THE  OPEN  DOOR  INTO  HEAVEN 

(Continued) 

Rev.  5:1-14.  And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of 
him  that  sat  on  the  throne  a  book  written  within 
and  on  the  back,  close  sealed  with  seven  seals-  2. 
And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a  great 
voice,  Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose 
the  seals  thereof?  3.  And  no  one  in  the  heaven, 
or  on  the  earth,  or  under  the  earth,  was  able  to  open 
tbi  book,  or  to  look  thereon.  4.  And  I  wept  much, 
lecause  no  one  was  found  worthy  to  open  the  book, 
or  to  look  thereon:  5.  and  one  of  the  elders  saith 
unto  me.  Weep  not;  behold,  the  Lion  that  is  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of  David,  hath  overcome 
to  open  the  book  and  the  seven  seals  thereof.  6.  And 
I  saw  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  and  of  the  four 
living  creatures,  and  in  the  midst  of  -the  elders,  a 
Lamb  standing,  as  though  it  had  been  slain,  having 
seven  horns,  and  seven  eyes,  which  are  the  seven 
Spirits  of  God,  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth.  7.  And 
he  came,  and  he  taketh  it  out  of  the  right  hand  of 
him  that  sat  on  the  throne.  8.  And  when  he  had 
taken  the  book,  the  four  living  creatures  and  the 
four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  before  the  Lamb, 


102  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

having  each  one  a  harp,  and  golden  bowls  full  of 
incense,  which  are  the  prayers  of  saints.  9.  And 
they   sing   a   new    song,    saying, 

Worthy  art  thou  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open 
the  seals  thereof :  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  didst 
purchase  unto  God  with  thy  blood  men  of  every 
tribe,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation,  10.  and 
madest  them  to  be  unto  our  God  a  kingdom  and 
priests;   and  they   reign   upon   the   earth. 

11  And  I  saw,  and  I  heard  a  voice  of  many 
angels  round  about  the  throne  and  the  living  crea- 
tures and  the  elders;  and  the  number  of  them  was 
ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of 
thousands ;   12  saying  with  a  great  voice. 

Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  hath  been  slain  to  re- 
ceive the  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and 
might,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing. 

13  And  every  created  thing  which  is  in  the 
heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and 
on  the  sea,  and  all  things  that  are  in  them,  heard  T 
saying, 

Unto  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
Lamb,  be  the  blessing,  and  the  nonor,  and  the 
glory,   and   the   dominion,   for  ever  and   ever. 

14  And  the   four  living  creatures  said.   Amen. 

And   the   elders   fell   down   and   worshipped. 

Remarks  on  the  above  passage,  which 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  k' 

includes  the  whole  of  the  5th  chapter  of 
Revelation:  In  this  chapter  we  have  the 
turning  point  for  the  victory  of  God's  peo- 
ple and  the  salvation  for  the  whole  creation 
revealed  to  us. 

The  apostle  John  wept  much  at  first, 
because  no  one  in  heaven,  or  on  earth,  nor 
under  the  earth  was  found  able  to  take  the 
book  out  of  the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sat 
on  the  throne  and  loose  the  seven  seals 
thereof.  But  when  the  Overcomer  was 
shown  to  him,  he  w?<5  comforted.  Notice 
what  made  Jesus  worthy  to  take  the  book 
and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof. — "For 
thou  wast  slain,  and  didst  purchase  unto 
God  with  thy  blood  men  of  every  tribe,  and 
tongue,  and  people,  and  nation  and  madest 
them  to  be  unto  our  God  a  kingdom  and 
priests:  and  they  shall  reign  upon  the 
earth."  This  gives  us  an  idea  what  is  writ- 
ten in  this  book:  the  names  of  all  who 
believe  on  Christ  according  to  the  above 
Scripture;  that  Christ  has  purchased  them 
with  His  blood  and  made  them  a  kingdom 
and  priests  unto  God;  and  that  they  shall 


104  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

reign  on  earth.  Those  who  honor  Christ, 
by  faith  in  His  works  as  recorded  above  get 
the  assurance  that  their  names  are  written 
therein.  When  we  are  baptized  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  and 
have  accepted  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  what 
else  could  we  be,  but  accepted  citizens, 
through  Christ's  work  for  the  kingdom  of 
God,  to  reign  at  God's  appointed  time  on 
earth  with  Christ?  Oh,  what  a  comfort 
it  is  to  know  that  we  are  bought  for  God  by 
Christ's  blood  and  made  worthy  in  Him  to 
inherit  the  kingdom.  Only  the  Owner  has 
the  right  to  claim  us,  to  use  us,  for  His 
service,  to  own  us,  to  defend  us  and  to 
protect  us.  The  adversary  has  lost  all  claim 
and  right  to  inhabit  our  bodies,  to  use  any 
member  of  our  bodies  for  his  service  of  sin. 
He  has  no  right  to  even  touch  us.  We  are 
God's  people.  The  price  is  paid.  No  mort- 
gage on  us,  nor  on  our  children.  The  enemy 
can  not  hold  us  in  the  prison  of  punishment 
for  our  sins.  The  debt  is  also  paid  and  we 
are  released  from  all  guilt.  Instead  of 
slaves  of  sin,  serving  the  devil,  we  have 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  105 

come  to  honor  through  Christ's  work  and 
blood  so  that  we  can  be,  and  shall  be, 
servants  of  the  great  King  and  be  His 
priests  and  ambassadors  to  suffer  with  Him 
and  then  also  to  reign  with  Him.  Glory  to 
God  in  the  highest  and  on  earth  peace, 
goodwill  among  men.  Yes,  glory  to  God, 
amen  and  amen. 

Christ  can  now  claim  His  own  out  of 
all  tribes,  tongues,  people,  and  nations;  for 
they  are  His  Father's  since  He  bought 
them  with  His  blood  for  God.  He  can 
defeat  all  powers  on  earth  who  hold  His 
own  in  bondage.  He  can  do  with  them  as 
He  did  of  old  with  Pharaoh  of  Egypt  when 
He  put  him  in  the  Red  Sea;  as  He  did  with 
Belshazzar  in  Babylon  when  He  took  away 
his  kingdom  to  release  his  people.  We  are 
God's  property,  created  in  Christ  for  God's 
service  and  for  His  kingdom  to  reign  on 
earth  in  due  time.  Since  Christ  has  taken 
that  book,  the  turning  time  has  come.  There 
is  certain  victory  for  all  of  God's  people, 
On  the  other  hand  there  is  the  certain 
downfall  of  all  those  who  oppose  God,  the 


106  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

defeat  and  judgment  of  all  our  and  God's 
enemies.  No  place  in  the  whole  Bible  can 
we  find  where  Jesus  and  the  Father  get  as 
much  praise  from  the  hosts  in  heaven  and 
from  all  created  things  on  earth  and  under 
the  earth  and  in  the  sea  as  they  receive 
here  in  Rev.  5,  after  the  Lamb  has  taken 
that  book  from  the  right  hand  of  Him  that 
sits  upon  the  throne. 

When  God  took  Israel  out  of  the  Egyp- 
tian bondage  to  bring  them  into  the  land  of 
Canaan  in  order  to  make  out  of  them  a 
kingdom  of  priests  (Ex.  19:6),  there  was 
also  a  book  in  which  the  names  of  those 
who  came  out  of  Egypt  were  recorded.  For 
Moses  said  unto  the  Lord  in  the  wilderness 
when  he  asked  God  to  forgive  His  people, 
"Oh,  this  people  have  sinned  a  great  sin, 
and  have  made  them  gods  of  gold.  Yet  now 
if  thou  wilt  forgive  their  sin — ;  and  if  not, 
blot  me,  I  pray  thee,  out  of  thy  book  which 
thou  hast  written.  And  Jehovah  said  to 
Moses,  Whosoever  hath  sinned  against  me, 
him  will  I  blot  out  of  my  book"  (Ex.  32:31- 
33).     This  shows  us  that  God  had  written 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  107 

the  names  of  all  the  Israelites  who  were 
called  to  enter  into  Canaan  in  a  book.  So, 
no  doubt,  our  names  are  written  in  this  book 
that  Christ  has  taken  to  bring  us  into  His 
kingdom.  As  Moses  brought  his  people 
through  so  will  Christ  bring  us  through, 
until  we  shall  be  in  His  visible  kingdom. 
We  have  said  before  that  what  God  did  for 
Israel  under  the  law  is  the  shadow  of  what 
we  have  in  Christ.  Now  the  shadow  is  a 
perfect  mark  of  the  substance,  though  it  is 
but  a  shadow.  To  understand  better  what 
this  will  bring  to  us  after  Christ  has  taken 
the  book  here  in  Rev.  5  and  loosed  the 
seven  seals  thereof,  we  need  to  look  back  to 
the  shadow  to  see  what  God  did  for  Israel 
through  Moses  and  Aaron,  Joshua,  David, 
and  others.  Through  Moses  He  led  Israel 
out  of  Egypt  with  great  signs  and  wonders 
and  led  them  through  the  wilderness  and 
used  Joshua  to  lead  them  into  the  land  of 
their  inheritance.  But  it  was  through  David 
that  the  promise  of  the  real  kingdom 
(Christ's)  was  made  sure  unto  them  with 
an  oath  from  the  Lord  (II  Sam.  7:16,  17; 


108  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Isa.  9:6,  7).  They  were  promoted  to  a 
glorious  kingdom  in  David  and  Solomon's 
time;  yet  that  kingdom  was  but  a  faint 
shadow,  though  a  real  shadow,  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  to  come.  Let  us  repeat,  that 
what  God  did  for  and  with  Israel  through 
Moses,  Aaron,  Joshua,  some  of  the  judges, 
Samuel,  David,  and  partly  Solomon  and 
later  on  through  the  prophets  and  other 
men  of  God  until  the  time  that  Christ  was 
born  and  the  promise  made  to  Abraham  was 
fulfilled  to  them  for  the  whole  world,  is  the 
shadow  of  that  which  God  is  now  doing  for 
us  through  Christ  in  taking  this  book  and 
opening  the  seven  seals  thereof,  together 
with  those  who  are  connected  with  Him  in 
this  work.  The  history  of  Israel  from  their 
deliverance  out  of  Egypt  until  Christ  was 
born  and  crucified  and  ascended  to  heaven, 
for  them  is  the  shadow  of  the  history  of  the 
church  of  God  in  the  new  covenant.  "This 
history  was  written  before  it  happened"  and 
is  recorded  in  Revelation  from  chapter  four 
to  chapter  twenty.  God  has  written  the 
history    of   persons,    peoples,    and    nations 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  109 

before  it  happened  and  He  has  also  written 
the  history  of  the  Church  before  time,  in 
Revel'ation.  Not  until  in  chapter  19:7  do 
we  read,  ''Let  us  rejoice  and  be  exceeding 
glad,  and  let  us  give  the  glory  unto  him: 
for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and 
his  wife  has  made  herself  ready."  The 
Kingdom  into  which  Christ  will  bring  us 
(as  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth.  Rev.  5:10, 
with  Him)  is  revealed  in  Rev.  20:4-6.  Sol- 
omon's kingdom  was  a  shadow  of  this  king- 
dom of  Christ.  Israel's  call  to  be  God's 
chosen  servant  out  of  all  nations  on  earth 
and  to  separate  from  them  for  God's  special 
service,  began  with  Abraham.  After  Abra- 
ham proved  himself  worthy  by  his  faith  and 
test  .of  obedience  to  sacrifice  his  son  Isaac, 
God  made  him  and  his  race  the  bearer  of 
the  all  exceeding  and  valuable  promise- 
namely,  the  promise  of  the  Redeemer  to  be 
born  out  of  them  for  the  blessing  of  the 
whole  world.  It  was  this  promise  that  made 
Israel  so  worthy  for  God  and  for  all  people 
on  the  earth.  They  were  made  the  bearers 
of  this  promise  from  God  for  the  benefit  of 


110  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

all  families  on  earth.  God  used  them  to 
fulfill  this  promise  to  the  world.  He  neve 
changed  His  choice,  though  they  became 
very,  very  sinful  at  times.  Yet  He  never 
gave  the  promise  to  another  people.  This 
then  was  the  calling  and  mission  of  Israel, 
to  be  used  of  God  to  fulfill  His  promise  in 
sending  the  Messiah  to  redeem  a  lost  world. 
God  had  made  this  promise  to  Adam  and 
Eve  immediately  after  the  fall.  Israel  be- 
came the  chosen  vessel  of  God  in  being 
made  the  bearers  of  this  promise.  Yea,  not 
only  the  bearers,  but  the  chosen  instrument 
through  whom  the  promise  was  to  be  ful- 
filled to  the  world.  And  God  did  fulfill  it 
through  them.  Jesus  was  born  out  of  them. 
Jesus  was  made  the  Saviour  in  His  death, 
resurrection  and  ascension,  through  Israel. 
But  since  they  afterwards  rejected  Christ 
God  did  set  them  aside  for  the  time  being 
and  has  now  chosen  a  people  out  of  the 
Gentiles  to  be  the  bearer  of  the  other  great 
promise — the  second  coming  of  Christ.  God 
makes  His  church  now  the  bearer  of  this 
promise  and  uses  the  Church  to  fulfill  this 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  111 

promise  for  Israel  and  for  all  nations  in  the 
whole  world.  God  makes  the  chosen  people 
out  of  the  Gentiles  a  blessing  to  present 
rejected  Israel,  as  He  had  made  Israel  a 
blessing  to  the  rejected  heathen.  Oh,  won- 
derful wisdom  of  God!  When  this  wisdom 
of  God  in  making  the  two  peoples  a  2^^^^ 
blessing  to  each  other  shall  be  fully  realized 
it  will  bind  the  two  together  in  an  insepar- 
able love  forever.  When  Israel  was  in  the 
Egyptian  bondage,  they  were  the  bearers 
there  of  the  promise  of  the  coming  of 
Christ;  and  when  they  were  in  the  captivity 
of  Babylon  they  were,  nevertheless,  the 
bearers  of  the  promise  and  were  still  the 
chosen  instrument  of  God.  But  they  had 
to  be  delivered  out  of  Egypt  through  Moses 
in  order  to  be  made  the  instrument  in 
works  to  prepare  the  way  to  fulfill  the 
promise  of  the  coming  Messiah  to  the  whole 
world.  They  also  had  to  be  delivered  out  of 
Babylon  for  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise. 
Let  us  now  come  back  to  our  chapter.  Rev. 
5,  which  reveals  to  us  our  deliverer,  the 
Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Lamb  of 


112  LGHT     AND     LIFE     FROM 

God,  even  Jesus  Christ,  who  purchased  us 
with  His  blood  for  the  service  and  kingdom 
of  God.  He  is  our  deliverer  out  of  the 
present  spiritual  Egypt  and  Babylon  be- 
cause He  has  taken  that  book  and  opens 
the  seals  thereof.  He  will  bring  us  through 
the  works  which  we  are  yet  to  do  in  order  to 
inherit  the  promise  of  His  second  coming. 
Just  as  Israel  was  led  through  the  needful 
work  and  received  the  needful  gifts  and 
power  to  do  them  until  the  promise  was 
fulfilled,  so  we  shall  be  brought  through  by 
Christ,  now  at  work  in  heaven  in  opening 
the  seven  seals  of  that  wonderful  book.  As 
Israel  also  received  mercy  upon  mercy  from 
God  not  to  be  cast  aside  before  the  Christ 
had  come  (because  of  the  prophets  who 
always  made  intercession  for  them),  so  are 
we  kept  by  God's  mercy  and  pardoning 
':grace,  not  to  be  rejected  as  promise  bearers 
and  chosen  instruments  of  God  until  the 
promise  of  Christ's  second  coming  is  ful- 
filled by  the  Lord  through  us  for  all  of 
Ciod's  people,  for  all  nations  and  for  the 
whole  creation.    It  would  be  an  utter  impos- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  113 

sibility  for  us  as  the  Church  of  Christ  to 
fully  prepare  the  way  for  Christ  to  come 
unless  we  are  connected  with  Christ's  pres- 
ent works  in  opening  the  seven  seals  of  that 
book.  Oh,  how  needful  to  see  through  this 
opened  door  in  Rev.  4  and  5,  the  Overcom- 
er  who  lifts  up  His  Church  out  of  its 
present  weakness,  into  strength.  He  is  the 
One  who  brings  His  own  through  all  these 
works  and  inherited  blessings  which  we 
see  laid  out  for  us  here  in  Revelation  from 
chapter  6  to  the  end  of  chapter  20.  Before 
we  go  over  to  chapter  6  let  us  notice  a  few 
things  of  the  revealed  Christ  here  in  chap- 
ter 5.  "And  I  saw  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  and  of  the  four  living  creatures 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  elders  a  Lamb 
standing,  as  though  it  had  been  slain, 
having  seven  horns,  and  seven  eyes,  which 
are  the  seven  Spirits  of  God,  sent  forth 
unto  all  the  earth."  In  this  6th  verse,  Christ 
is  revealed  as  standing,  standing  in  the 
midst  of  the  throne,  in  the  midst  of  the  four 
living  creatures  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
elders.    He  is  revealed  as  the  slain  Lamb. 


114  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Think  of  the  Lamb  of  the  passover  in 
Egypt,  slain  for  the  protection  and  release 
of  Israel  out  of  Egypt.  So  was  Christ  slain 
to  release  us  from  guilt  and  buy  us  for  God. 
He  has  seven  horns  and  seven  eyes  which 
are  the  seven  Spirits  of  God  sent  forth  into 
all  the  earth.  These  seven  horns  denote 
the  complete  conquering  power  against  all 
enemies.  The  seven  eyes  denote  sight.  He 
sees  the  lost  sheep  in  all  parts  of  the  earth 
that  belong  to  Him  by  the  purchase  of  His 
blood.  The  seven  horns  and  seven  eyes  are 
the  seven  Spirits  of  God  sent  forth*  into  all 
the  earth.  They  denote  the  complete  armor 
of  God  to  bring  His  own  out  of  every  power 
on  earth  and  prepare  them  for  God's  service 
and  kingdom.  Notice  in  verse  8  how,  and 
by  whom,  the  prayers  of  the  saints  are  kept 
and  have  not  yet  come  up  before  God.  The 
apostles,  prophets,  martyrs,  and  saints  have 
prayed  for  the  perfecting  of  the  Church 
and  the  coming  of  Christ  and  His  kingdom. 
Their  prayers  are  not  yet  answered,  but 
they  will  be  answered  in  due  time.  So  let 
us  pray  and  not  faint.  The  Lord  will  avenge 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  115 

US  of  our  adversary  and  will  send  us  Christ 
back  again  soon. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  OPENING  OF  THE  SEVEN  SEALS 

Let  us  now  bear  in  mind  as  we  have 
already  stated  above  that  what  God  did  for, 
and  with  Israel  through  Moses,  Aaron, 
Joshua,  some  of  the  judges,  Samuel,  David, 
Solomon,  the  prophets,  and  other  men  of 
God  in  the  Old  Testament,  is  the  real  shad- 
ow of  what  God  does  for  the  Church  and 
through  the  Church  as  recorded  here  from 
Rev.  6  to  chapter  20.  This  is  the  prophesied 
way  through  which  we  are  being  led  until 
we  shall  reign  with  Christ  upon  earth  as 
prophesied  in  chapter  20:4-6. 

Rev.  6:1-2.  And  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  opened 
one  of  the  seven  seals,  and  I  heard  one  of  the  four 
living  creatures  saying  as  with  a  voice  of  thunder. 
Come.  2  And  I  saw,  and  behold,  a  white  horse, 
and  he  that  sat  thereon  had  a  bow;  and  there  was 
given  unto  him  a  crown :  and  he  came  forth  con- 
quering, and  to   conquer. 

The   Lamb  works   in   heaven,   opening 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  117 

the  seals  of  the  book  but  He  has  His 
servants  upon  earth  working  with  Him. 
Undoubtedly,  the  white  horse  and  He  that 
sat  thereon  is  a  messenger  of  Christ.  The 
bow,  the  crown,  and  the  fact  that  He  comes 
forth  conquering  and  to  conquer,  shows 
that  he  is  endowed  with  a  special  power  and 
mission  to  reveal  the  salvation  of  Christ. 
He  commences  to  prepare  the  way  for 
Christ  to  come.  Before  God  comes  with 
judgments  for  punishment,  He  comes  with 
the  message  of  peace.  The  white  colored 
horse  would  indicate  that.  This  messenger 
is  endued  witR  authority  and  power  about 
like  that  which  is  promised  to  the  one  who 
overcomes  according  to  Rev.  3:7-12. 

Rev.   6:3-8.     And   when   he   opened   the   second' 
seal,  I  heard  die  second  living  creature  saying,  Come. 

4  And  another  horse  came  forth,  a  red  horse:  and 
to  him  that  sat  thereon  it  was  given  to  take  peace 
from  the  earth,  and  that  they  should  slay  one  an- 
other :  and  there  was  given  unto  him  a  great  sword. 

5  And  when  he  opened  the  third  seal,  I  heard  the 
third  living  creature  saying,  Come.  And  I  saw,  and 
behold,  a  black  horse;  and  he  that  sat  thereon  had 
a  balance  in  his  hand.  6  And  I  heard  as  it  were  a 


118  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four  living  creatures  say- 
ing, A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  shilling,  and  three 
measures  of  barley  for  a  shilling;  and  the  oil  and  the 
wine  hurt  thou  not.  7  And  when  he  opened  the 
fourth  seal,  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  fourth  living 
creature  saying,  Come.  8  And  I  saw,  and  behold,  a 
pale  horse :  and  he  that  sat  upon  him,  his  name  was 
Death;  and  Hades  followed  with  him.  And  there 
was  given  unto  them  authority  over  the  fourth  part 
of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  sword,  and  with  famine, 
and  with  death,  and  by  the  wild  beasts  of  the  earth. 

You  notice  that  these  three  riders  on 
the  horses  are  sent  out  in  connection  with 
the  opening  of  the  seals  by  the  Lamb  and 
also  in  connection  with  the  service  of  the 
four  living  creatures.  These  three  messen- 
gers are  sent  with  judgments  to  the  people 
on  earth:  judgments  to  take  away  peace 
from  the  earth;  a  great  sword,  wars;  fam- 
ine; to  kill  the  fourth  part  on  earth  with 
the  sword,  famine,  death,  and  by  the  wild 
beasts.  Why  all  these  severe  judgments? 
Because  they  have  rejected  the  message  of 
peace  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  Therefore 
these  judgments  of  great  tribulation  are 
sent  to  bring  them  to  repentance.  The  Lord 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  119 

has  not  given  them  up  as  long  as  He  chas- 
tises them.  Jesus  prophesied  that  there 
would  be  wars  and  rumors  of  wars,  famines, 
pestilences,  etc.  God  is  sending  these  judg- 
ments through  His  messengers,  because  of 
unbelief  in  Christ.  When  Jesus  was  on 
earth  a  certain  tower  fell  and  killed  18  men. 
Jesus  said  to  the  Jews  that  these  were  not 
guilty  above  the  rest,  and  if  they  would  not 
repent,  they  would  all  likewise  perish.  Look 
back  into  the  shadow  of  the  Old  Testament 
and  see  what  heavy  plagues  God  caused  to 
come  upon  the  Egyptians  because  of  resist- 
ing Him  in  carrying  out  His  plan  with  His 
people,  Israel.  So  Christ,  with  His  servants 
afflicts  the  disobedient  in  order  to  bring 
them  to  repentance. 

Many  people  will  be  saved  by  great 
tribulation  as  we  see  in  Chapter  7:9-15,  but 
others  will  be  hardened  to  curse  God  and 
thus  become  ripe  for  the  judgment  of  hell 
fire. 

Rev.  6:9-11.  And  when  he  opened  the  fifth 
seal,  I  saw  underneath  the  altar  the  souls  of  them 
that  had  been   slain  for  the  word  of   God,   and   for 


120  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

the  testimony  which  they  held:  10  and  they  cried 
with  a  great  voice,  saying,  How  long,  O  Master,  the 
holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our 
blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth?  11  And 
there  was  given  them  to  each  one  a  white  robe;  and 
it  was  said  unto  them,  that  they  should  rest  yet  for 
a  little  time,  until  their  fellow-servants  also  and  their 
brethren,  who  should  be  killed  even  as  they  were, 
should  have  fulfilled  their  course. 

This  passage  shows  us  that  the  Church 
or  bride  of  Christ  was  not  yet  complete, 
since  the  members  of  Christ's  body  were 
not  yet  full  in  number.  Surely  those  mar- 
tyrs or  souls  under  the  altar  are  members 
of  the  body  of  Christ.  They  are  partakers 
of  His  suffering.  And  it  seems  that  they 
had  been  waiting  a  long,  long  time  already 
for  God  to  avenge  their  blood.  This  passage 
also  shows  us  what  is  yet  needed  on  the 
part  of  the  Church,  before  Christ  comes  to 
take  His  own  from  the  earth  unto  the  mar- 
riage supper  of  the  Lamb.  The  number  of 
the  suffering  members  of  His  body  is  not 
yet  complete.  And  Christ  will  not  come  to 
take  His  own  until  the  members  of  His 
body  are  complete  in  holiness  and  in  num- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  121 

ber.     We  see  the  number  of  the  martyrs 
complete  in  chapters  1 1  and  14. 

Rev.  6:12-17.  And  I  saw  when  he  opened  the 
sixth  seal,  and  there  was  a  great  earthquake ;  and 
the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the 
whole  moon  became  as  blood;  13  and  the  stars  of 
the  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  as  a  fig  tree  casteth 
her  unripe  figs  when  she  is  shaken  of  a  great  wind. 
14  And  the  heaven  was  removed  as  a  scroll  when  it 
is  rolled  up;  and  every  mountain  and  island  were 
moved  out  of  their  places.  15  And  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  the  princes,  and  the  chief  captains,  and 
the  rich,  and  the  strong,  and  every  bondman  and 
freeman,  hid  themselves  in  the  caves  and  in  the 
rocks  of  the  mountains;  16  and  they  say  to  the 
mountains  and  to  the  rocks.  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us 
from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and 
from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb:  17  for  the  great  day 
of  their  wrath  is  come;   and  who  is  able  to  stand? 

This  passage  is  a  fulfillment  of  Jesus' 
prophecy  when  He  spoke  of  His  coming 
and  of  the  judgments  of  tribulation  just 
preceeding  His  coming. — "But  immediately 
after  the  tribulation  of  those  days  (A.fter 
the  tribulations  of  those  judgments  as  we 
have  just  seen  when  the  Lamb  opened  the 
first  four  seals  in  Rev.  6)  the  sun  shall  be 


122  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her 
light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven, 
and  the  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be 
shaken:  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the 
Son  of  Man  in  heaven,  and  then  shall 
all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn,  and 
they  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power 
and  great  glory"  (Matt.  24:29,  30).  "Then 
shall  they  begin  to  say  to  the  mountains, 
Fall  on  us;  and  to  the  hills.  Cover  us" 
(Luke  23:30).  This  prophecy  will  surely 
come  to  pass  upon  those  who  reject  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  will  repent 
when  it  is  too  late.  God  shall  be  found  true 
in  all  His  words  of  blessings  and  judg- 
ments, in  all  His  Words  of  prophecy.  Man, 
thy  God  has  not  left  thee  in  ignorance.  He 
has  revealed  to  thee  all  things  which  are 
coming.  You  are  warned  through  this  word 
of  prophecy  to  make  haste  and  to  flee  from 
the  wrath  to  come.  Remember  how  the 
word  of  prophecy  of  Christ's  first  coming 
as  Savior,  prophesied  by  the  prophets  in  the 
Old    Testament,    was    literally    fulfilled    in 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  123 

Christ.  In  like  manner  will  the  prophecy  of 
this  Revelation  be  literally  fulfilled  in  the 
good  and  in  the  bad.  ''Be  not  deceived; 
God  is  not  mocked:  for  whatsoever  a  man 
soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap"  (Gal.  6:7). 
There  are  only  two  classes  of  people,  saved 
and  lost.  The  best  is  prepared  for  man  and 
if  man  does  not  take  the  best,  he  will  get 
the  worst.  Man  will  either  be  with  God  or 
He  will  be  with  the  devil.  Christ  will  get 
the  kingdom  of  this  world,  the  devil  will  be 
dethroned  and  put  to  dishonor,  and  finally 
into  everlasting  punishment.  But  God  and 
His  own  will  reign  in  everlasting  bliss  and 
glory.  Man,  you  can  know  all  this.  It  is 
revealed  to  you  here  in  this  Word  of  pro- 
phecy. You  can  choose  either  way — to  be 
forever  in  honor  and  happiness  or  to  be 
forever  in  shame  and  pain.  Which  shall  it 
be?  Shall  Christ  lose  His  labor  of  suffer- 
ing on  you?  Or  will  you  cause  Him  joy 
by  repenting  and  yielding  to  His  Gospel, 
so  He  shall  have  you  in  His  kingdom  of 
glory.  Oh,  which  shall  it  be?  Remember 
His  invitation  to  you:  "Come."    "The  Spirit 


124  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

and  the  bride  say,  Come.  And  he  that 
heareth,  let  him  say,  come.  And  he  that  is 
athirst,  let  him  come:  he  that  will,  let  him 
take  of  the  water  of  life  freely"  (Rev.  22: 
17). 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  SEALING  OF  GOD'S  SERVANTS 

This  sealing  of  God's  servants  is  done 
before  they  are  taken  away  with  the  cloud 
to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air.  Remember, 
Israel  was  sealed  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb 
(passover)  in  Egypt  before  they  were  taken 
out  of  the  land.  This  sealing  was  done  to 
protect  them  against  the  plague  of  the 
destroying  angel  who  was  sent  through  all 
the  land  of  Egypt  to  slay  the  firstborn  of 
man  and  beast  in  every  house.  Another 
sealing  took  place  later  on  in  Israel  at  the 
time  of  the  exile  when  the  judgment  of  God 
was  poured  out  over  Jerusalem.  "And  Je- 
hovah said  unto  him,  Go  through  the  midst 
of  the  city,  through  the  midst  of  Jerusalem, 
and  set  a  mark  upon  the  foreheads  of  the 
men  that  sigh  and  that  cry  over  all  the 
abominations  that  are  done  in  the  midst 
thereof.  And  to  the  others  He  said  in  my 
hearing.  Go  ye  through  the  city  after  them, 


126  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

and  smite:  let  not  your  eye  spare,  neither 
have  ye  pity;  slay  utterly  the  old  men,  the 
young  men  and  the  virgin,  and  little  child- 
ren and  women:  but  come  not  near  any 
man  upon  whom  is  the  mark:  and  begin  at 
my  sanctuary"  (Ezek.  9:4-6).  This  sealing 
at  this  time  was  also  for  protection  against 
the  approaching  judgment.  This  sealing  at 
Jerusalem  differed  from  the  sealing  in  E- 
gypt  in  this  way:  The  sign  of  the  blood  of 
the  lamb  on  the  door  lintel  and  side  posts  in 
the  houses  of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt  was 
for  all  Israel.  Unconditionally  for  all  Israel 
who  would  obey  to  put  the  blood  at  the 
appointed  place,  as  God  had  commanded. 
But  the  other  protecting  mark  at  Jerusalem 
was  only  given  to  those  who  sighed  and 
cried  over  all  the  abominations  that  were 
done  in  the  city.  The  others  were  slain,  old 
and  young  men,  virgins  and  children.  But 
none  that  had  the  mark  were  to  be  touched 
by  the  destroyers.  Therefore  this  mark,  or 
seal,  upon  our  foreheads,  and  the  command 
to  wash  our  robes  and  make  them  white  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  are  of  the  greatest 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  127 

importance  to  us  as  revealed  here  in  Rev.  7. 
For  Israel  not  to  have  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb  applied,  meant  death  in  their  home 
for  the  firstborn;  and  not  to  be  worthy  of 
obtaining  the  mark  on  the  forehead  meant 
death  for  both  old  and  young.  The  blood 
and  the  mark  were  both  given  for  protec- 
tion against  the  judgments  of  God  which 
were  before  the  door.  So  is  the  sealing  of 
God's  servants  here  in  Rev.  7  given  of  God 
for  the  protection  against  the  judgments 
that  are  yet  to  come  from  Him,  as  we  shall 
see  later  on  in  chapters  8  and  9.  Let  us  now 
look  through  the  7th  chapter. 

Rev.  7:1-4.  After  this  I  saw  four  angels 
standing  at  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  holding 
the  four  winds  of  the  earth,  that  no  wind  should 
blow  on  the  earth,  or  on  the  sea,  or  upon  any  tree. 
2  And  I  saw  another  angel  ascend  from  the  sun- 
rising,  having  the  seal  of  the  living  God:  and  he 
cried  with  a  great  voice  to  the  four  angels  to  whom 
it  was  given  to  hurt  the  earth  and  the  sea,  3  saying, 
Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the  sea,  nor  the  trees, 
till  we  shall  have  sealed  the  servants  of  our  God  on 
their  foreheads.  4  And  I  heard  the  number  of  them 
that    were    sealed,    a    hundred    and    forty    and    four 


128  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

thousand,  sealed  out  of  every  tribe  of  the  children  of 
Israel: 

It  matters  not  so  much  to  know  just 
who  these  four  angels  are  that  hold  the 
four  winds  of  the  earth,  nor  who  this  other 
angel  from  the  sunrising  is,  who  has  the 
seal  of  the  living  God  and  who  seals  God's 
servants;  but  it  is  of  very  great  importance 
to  clearly  know  what  we  need  to  be  or  to 
do  in  order  to  be  sealed  by  this  angel  who 
ascends  from  the  sunrising.  Of  course  the 
sealing  of  these  144,000  is  for  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel  but  the  other  great  multi- 
tude in  the  latter  part  of  the  chapter  con- 
cerns us.  Who  are  they  that  shall  be 
sealed?  Answer:  The  servants  of  God. 
"Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the  sea,  nor 
the  trees,  till  we  shall  have  sealed  the 
servants  of  our  God  on  their  foreheads.*' 
The  coming  plagues  shall  not  hurt  them. 
The  Jews  once  asked  Jesus,  "What  must 
we  do,  that  we  may  work  the  works  of 
God?"  Jesus  answered  them:  "This  is  the 
work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom 
he  hath  sent"  (John  6:28,  29).    This  shows 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  129 

US  that  faith  in  Christ  is  serving  God.  But 
we  read  also  that  faith  without  works  is 
dead.  Jesus  said  to  the  angel  in  the  church 
at  Sardis,  who  was  neglecting  his  ministry: 
*Thou  hast  a  name  that  thou  livest,  and  art 
dead."  Jesus  warns  us  all  to  be  watchful. 
*'But  watch  ye  at  every  season,  making 
supplication,  that  ye  may  prevail  to  escape 
all  these  things  that  shall  come  to  pass,  and 
to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man"  (Luke 
21:36).  Making  supplication  for  us  and 
others  is  an  important  service  of  God  to  be 
worthy  to  escape  judgments  and  to  stand 
before  Christ. 

It  seems  that  these  four  angels,  who 
stand  at  the  four  corners  of  the  earth 
holding  the  four  winds,  have  power  over 
the  elements  in  the  air.  God  uses  different 
means  to  bring  judgments  upon  the  unbe- 
lieving. He  uses  the  wind  to  destroy;  He 
uses  the  sun,  moon,  stars,  lightning,  hail, 
and  rain  to  destroy.  He  uses  the  wicked 
nations  of  the  four  corners  of  the  earth  to 
punish  a  certain  kingdom;  and  He  has  His 
angels  (whether  they  be  angels  from  heav- 


130  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

en  or  out  of  His  chosen  people  on  earth), 
to  whom  He  gives  power  over  the  elements 
in  the  air  and  over  the  hearts  of  kings  and 
nations  to  move  them  to  carry  out  His  will. 
For  the  purpose  of  bringing  in  judgments 
upon  the  earth,  the  sea,  and  upon  the  trees, 
are  these  four  angels  placed  at  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth.  Remember  how  God 
smote  Egypt  with  plagues  on  the  fruit  of 
the  land,  on  the  trees,  on  the  beasts  and  on 
people.  He  smote  them  with  hail,  pesti- 
lence and  darkness.  But  remember  how  the 
Lord  after  the  first  plagues  put  a  difference 
between  His  people  and  the  Egyptians. 
Though  His  people  were  in  the  land  of 
Egypt,  yet  the  plagues  did  not  touch  them 
(Ex.  8:22,  23).  God  protects  His  people. 
This  angel  from  the  sunrising  is  sent  to 
seal  the  servants  of  God.  We  believe  that 
this  angel  from  the  sunrising  who  seals  the 
servants  of  God  on  their  foreheads,  is 
Christ  Himself.  For  He  is  the  sun  and  the 
beginning  of  the  day  (spiritually).  Notice 
in  Rev.  3:12  how  Jesus  promised  to  seal  the 
overcomer    by   writing    God's    name    upon 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION 


131 


him.     Notice  also  in  Rev.  10  how  an  angel 
(which    is    undoubtedly    Christ    Himself) 
comes.    His  face  is  like  the  sun.    He  comes 
to  give  a  message  to  His  servants  and  gives 
them  authority  to  fulfill  a  special  prophetic 
mission.     (See  Rev.  10).    I  could  not  think 
that  any  servant  of  God  upon  earth  has  the 
power  to  seal  the  servants  of  God  on  their 
foreheads.    John  heard  the  number  of  them 
that  were  sealed,  144,000  of  every  tribe  of 
Israel.    The  tribe  of  Dan  is  not  mentioned 
among  the  sealed  ones  in  Rev.  7,  but  in  the 
prophecy  of  Ezekiel,  chapter  48,  it  is  men- 
tioned with  the  rest.     The  Lord^s  love  in 
respecting  every  tribe  alike  is  revealed  here 
in  Rev.  7.    He  honors  every  tribe  alike  with 
the  same  number  of  sealed  ones. 

5  Of  the  tribe  of  Judah  were  sealed  twelve  thousand; 
Of  the  tribe  of  Reuben  twelve  thousand; 

Of  the  tribe  of  Gad  twelve  thousand; 

6  Of  the  tribe  of  Asher  twelve  thousand ; 
Of  the  tribe  of  Naphtali  twelve  thousand ; 
Of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh  twelve  thousand; 

7  Of  the  tribe  of  Simeon  twelve  thousand; 
Of  the  tribe  of  Levi  twelve  thousand; 
Of  the  tribe  of  Issachar  twelve  thousand: 


132  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

8  Of  the  tribe  of  Zebulun  twelve  thousand; 
Of  the  tribe  of  Joseph  twelve  thousand; 
Of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  were  sealed  twelve  thou- 
sand. 

Every  tribe  gets  the  same  number  of 
sealed  ones.  How  can  God  honor  all  the 
twelve  tribes  alike?  Undoubtedly,  because 
He  looked  away  from  their  unworthiness 
and  looked  to  the  works  of  His  Son;  and 
there  He  saw  them  all  alike.  He  made  them 
all  worthy  in  Christ's  redemption  and  new 
creation  work.  "In  Jehovah  shall  all  the 
seed  of  Israel  be  justified,  and  shall  glory" 
(Isa.  45:25).  "And  they  sing  a  new  song, 
saying,  Worthy  art  thou  to  take  the  book, 
and  to  open  the  seals  thereof:  for  thou  wast 
slain,  and  didst  purchase  unto  God  with  thy 
blood  men  of  every  tribe,  and  tongue,  and 
people,  and  nation,  and  madest  them  unto 
our  God  a  kingdom  and  priests;  and  they 
shall  reign  upon  the  earth  (Rev.  5:9,  10). 
This  last  passage  leads  us  over  to  the  last 
part  of  Rev.  7,  where  we  see  a  multitude 
which  no  man  can  number  before  the 
throne  of  God,  because  they  washed  their 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  133 

robes  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb.  The  blood  was  their  protecting 
seal  and  by  honoring  the  blood,  as  they 
did,  they  were  received  as  priests  of  God  on 
His  throne. 

Rev.  7:9-17.  After  these  things  I  saw,  and 
behold,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could 
number,  out  of  every  nation  and  of  all  tribes  and 
peoples  and  tongues,  standing  before  the  throne  and 
before  the  Lamb,  arrayed  in  white  robes,  and  palms 
in  their  hands ;  10  and  they  cry  with  a  great  voice, 
saying. 

Salvation  unto  our  God  who  sitteth  on  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb. 
11  And  all  the  angels  were  standing  round  about  the 
throne,  and  about  the  elders  and  the  four  living 
creatures;  and  they  fell  before  the  throne  on  their 
faces,  and  worshipped  God,  12  saying, 

Amen:  Blessing,  and  glory,  and  wisdom,  and 
thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and  power,  and  might, 
be  unto  our  God  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 
13  And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying  unto  me> 
These  that  are  arrayed  in  the  white  robes,  who  are 
they,  and  whence  came  they?  14  And  I  say  unto 
him,  My  lord,  thou  knowest.  And  he  said  to  me. 
These  are  they  that  come  out  of  the  great  tribula- 
tion, and  they  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.     15  Therefore  are 


134  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

they  before  the  throne  of  God;  and  they  serve  him 
day  and  night  in  his  temple:  and  he  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne  shall  spread  his  tabernacle  over  them.  16 
They  shall  hunger  no  more;  neither  thirst 
any  more;  neither  shall  the  sun  strike  upon 
them,  nor  any  heat:  17  for  the  Lamb  that  is 
in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  be  their 
shepherd,  and  shall  guide  them  unto  fountains  of 
waters  of  life:  and  God  shall  wipe  away  every  tear 
from  their  eyes. 

God's  wonderful  love  to  the  world  is 
again  revealed  in  this  passage.  Like  His  love 
is  revealed  to  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,  as  we 
have  seen,  so  is  His  great  love  to  all  na- 
tions, tribes,  peoples,  and  tongues  revealed 
here.  He  has  honored  them  all  alike  in 
taking  out  of  their  midst  a  chosen  number 
for  His  priesthood  and  for  His  kingdom. 
How  can  God  thus  honor  them  all  alike? 
He  does  that  to  reward  His  Son  for  His 
labors,  because  He  has  reconciled  the  whole 
world  to  God  with  His  blood.  "For  God  was 
in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  him- 
self, not  reckoning  unto  them  their  trespass- 
es" (II  Cor.  5:19).  "Unto  him  that  loved  us, 
and  loosed  us  from  our  sins  by  his  own 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  135 

blood;  and  he  made  us  a  kingdom,  to  be 
priests  unto  his  God  and  Father;  to  him  be 
the  glory  and  the  dominion  for  ever  and 
ever,  Amen"  (Rev.  1:5,  6).  Christ's  work 
is  rewarded  in  this  great  multitude  to  the 
blessing  of  every  nation  and  people  on 
earth,  for  they  serve  him  day  and  night  in 
his  temple.  They  have  become  God's  priests 
as  Christ  has  made  them.  The  sealing  of 
God's  servants  and  the  salvation  of  all  this 
great  multitude  in  this  chapter  is  the  fruit 
of  Christ's  labors,  not  only  on  the  cross,  but 
also  of  His  present  labors  in  opening  the 
seals  of  that  book.  This  all  comes  to  pass 
after  He  has  opened  the  sixth  seal.  Through 
Him  this  multitude  is  lifted  up  to  God's 
throne.  He  lifts  up  His  weak  church.  He 
brings  His  own  together  into  unity.  In 
Him  we  have  the  victory  to  heal  all  our 
own  sores  and  blemishes.  The  great  divi- 
sion of  the  people  of  God  is  also  healed  in 
Him.  He  was  to  die  for  this  very  purpose 
— ''that  he  might  also  gather  together  into 
one  the  children  of  God  that  are  scattered 
abroad"     (John    11:52).      O,    brother    and 


136  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

sister  in  Christ,  take  courage;  our  labors 
with  Christ  are  honored  of  God.  Through 
this  Revelation  we  can  see  the  church  of 
God  fully  redeemed  and  exalted  to  honor. 
What  we  see  here  must  come  to  pass.  Our 
victory  for  God's  people  is  made  sure  to  us 
by  these  infallible  prophesies.  God  is  in 
the  battle  for  this  great  multitude  to  deliver 
them  out  of  all  the  power  of  the  enemy,  for 
He  has  purchased  them  with  His  own  blood 
for  Himself.  To  God  they  must  come.  He 
will  receive  them  and  they  will  serve  Him. 
Is  this  multitude  a  part  of  the  church 
of  Christ  or  is  it  not?  Remember  that  all 
this  sealing  of  God's  servants  in  the  whole 
of  the  7th  chapter  takes  place  before  Christ 
comes  to  take  His  own  from  the  earth  to 
Himself.  The  journey  of  Israel  out  of 
Egypt  is  the  shadow  of  the  journey  of  the 
Church.  The  apostles  always  used  Israel 
and  Eve  as  types  of  the  Church.  When 
Israel  came  out  of  the  great  Egyptian 
tribulation  and  wilderness  experiences  unto 
God  at  Mt.  Sinai,  they  had  yet  to  sanctify 
themselves  and  wash  their  garments  to  pre- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  137 

pare  themselves  for  the  Lord's  coming  from 
heaven  to  give  them  the  law.  So  it  is  said 
of  this  whole  multitude,  *These  are  they 
that  came  out  of  the  great  tribulation,  and 
they  washed  their  robes  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore 
are  they  before  the  throne  of  God;  and 
they  serve  him  day  and  night  in  His  tem- 
ple." This  perfect  washing  is  a  preparation 
for  the  coming  of  Christ.  It  is  the  wedding 
garment  for  the  guests.  The  Church  of 
Christ  goes  through  the  great  tribulation  as 
we  have  seen  in  the  6th  chapter  under  the 
opening  of  the  first  four  seals,  but  this 
great  tribulation  is  not  the  great  tribulation 
that  follows  later  on  in  the  9th  chapter. 
Those  who  were  sealed  in  chapter  7  will  not 
be  affected  in  that  great  tribulation.  Only 
those  who  have  not  the  seal  of  God  will 
have  to  go  through  it.  "And  it  was  said 
unto  them  that  they  should  not  hurt  the 
grass  of  the  earth,  neither  any  green  thing, 
neither  any  tree,  but  only  such  men  as  have 
not  the  seal  of  God  on  their  foreheads" 
(Rev.  9:4).     The  forehead  is  the  door  of 


138  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

our  body  or  our  house,  where  the  name  of 
Christ  and  the  law  of  God  is  to  be  written, 
"I  will  put  my  law  in  their  hearts  and  in 
their  mind  will  I  write  them."  Israel  was  to 
put  the  blood  of  the  lamb  on  the  upper 
lintel  of  the  door  of  their  houses,  which  I 
believe,  typifies  our  forehead.  The  Church 
is  not  taken  away  before  the  great  tribula- 
tion as  seen  in  chapter  9,  but  it  is  protected 
from  the  harm  of  it  through  the  seal.  God 
uses  the  Church  to  bring  the  judgments  of 
the  great  tribulation  upon  the  unbelieving 
world,  just  as  God  used  His  chosen  servants 
in  Israel  to  put  the  plagues  of  tribulation 
upon  Egypt — yet  protected  His  people  from 
it.  The  Church  will  be  taken  out  of  the 
world  when  its  mission  is  completed  and 
when  the  chosen  servants  of  the  Lord  shall 
have  been  fully  led  into  Christ's  death  and 
resurrection  according  to  Phil.  3:10-15.  Af- 
ter the  Antichrist  shall  have  killed  the  last 
members  of  Christ's  body,  then  will  the 
Church  be  taken  out  of  the  world  with  the 
clouds  and  the  marriage  supper  of  the 
Lamb  will  take  place.     During  this  period 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  139 

there  will  be  yet  terrible  times  on  the  earth 
for  the  remaining  believers  because  of  the 
Antichrist's  satanic  reign:  but  the  Church 
is  with  Christ  at  this  time  until  He  shall 
come  with  it  to  destroy  the  Antichrist  and 
to  set  up  His  kingdom  according  to  Rev. 
19:11-21  and  20:1-6.  Notice  then  again 
that  this  great  multitude  came  to  God's 
throne  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
Nothing  is  said  of  them  in  regard  to  their 
works  but  this  one  thing — *They  washed 
their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  lamb."  They  did  this  work 
perfectly.  "Therefore  are  they  before  the 
throne  of  God;  and  serve  Him  day  and 
night  in  his  temple."  They  sing  the  song  of 
salvation  and  have  palms  in  their  hands. 
O,  brother,  sister,  God  has  made  it  possible 
for  us  that  the  multitude  of  our  sins  cannot 
keep  us  from  God  and  the  priestly  office,  if 
we  but  honor  the  blood.  Our  blunders 
behind  us  do  not  change  the  works  of 
Christ  for  us,  since  He  has  Himself  washed 
us  and  made  us  priests  unto  His  God. 
Faith  in  the  work  of  Christ  is  our  right- 


140  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

eousness  by  God,  but  unbelief  in  His  work 
for  us,  is  the  sin  that  stands  between  us  and 
God  and  keeps  the  veil  over  our  hearts  that 
we  can  not  see  ourselves  made  perfect  in 
Christ.  O,  brother,  if  you  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  fall  under  the  power  of  sin,  do 
not  let  it  remain  on  you,  but  make  use  of 
the  cleansing  blood  to  wash  the  sin  away  as 
often  as  it  may  conquer  you.  And  if  the  dev- 
il obtain  power  over  you  in  some  way,  do  use 
the  shield  of  faith  in  Christ's  blood  to  wash 
sin  away.  Though  you  may  be  overcome  a 
dozen  times  a  day,  then  a  dozen  times  a  day 
repeat  the  washing  until  you  shall  have 
gained  the  victory  of  remaining  steadfast, 
because  of  your  faith  in  God  to  hold  you 
fast  in  His  Almighty  hand.  If  you  do  not 
take  this  stand  of  God's  grace,  in  times  of 
weakness  you  will  become  lost  and  fall  as  a 
victim  under  the  power  of  the  accuser,  the 
devil.  Thus  Christ  will  lose  the  reward  of 
His  labors  on  you.  You  can  not  be  His 
priest,  nor  come  in  His  kingdom,  because 
you  have  not  overcome  the  accuser  with  the 
blood   of   the   Lamb.     The   natural   things 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  141 

reveal  us  the  Spiritual  things.  God  has 
given  us  water  to  wash  our  bodies  and 
clothes  clean.  If  my  body  should  become 
dirty  ever  so  many  times  a  day,  I  can  wash 
it  clean  every  time  by  the  use  of  water. 
And  if  I  do  not  wash  it,  then  I  am  surely 
unclean.  Yes,  and  I  remain  unclean  until  I 
wash  away  the  stains  on  my  body,  or  on  my 
clothes.  An  unclean  person  is  not  in  an 
acceptable  condition  to  be  received  as  a 
guest  to  a  feast  with  clean  people.  Re- 
member, dear  reader,  that  you  will  remain 
unclean  through  all  eternity  if  you  do  not 
overcome  in  this  important  act  to  wash 
yourself  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  as  re- 
vealed here  in  Rev.  7:14.  'They  washed 
their  robes  and  made  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  lamb."  We  must  do  this  work 
perfectly,  not  only  wash  but  make  our 
robes  white  in  the  blood.  Remember 
that  the  blood  is  the  sign  that  God 
will  look  on  you  to  accept  you  and  to 
protect  you  and  not  really  your  character  or 
your  works,  though  they  are  very  essential 
in  their  place.     (Let  us  examine  the  word 


142  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

"robes'").  What  are  these  robes?  Does 
the  word  "robe"  mean  the  spiritual  part  of 
our  being  or  does  it  also  include  the  physi- 
cal body?  The  Bible  speaks  of  the  body 
in  several  places  as  a  garment,  robe,  clothes, 
house.  The  reader  is  referred  to  the  fol- 
lowing passages:  Isaiah  63:1-3  (this  passage 
speaks  of  Christ's  body);  II  Cor.  5:1-4  (in 
using  the  word,  house,  tabernacle,  clothes, 
the  apostle  speaks  of  the  body).  We  need 
to  wash  our  bodies  in  the  blood  of  Christ 
from  the  lusts  of  sin,  from  diseases  and  the 
very  germs  of  diseases  in  it.  We  are  to 
wash  our  robes  and  make  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb.  And  if  this  is  not  done 
by  us  we  have  not  done  the  work  of  wash- 
ing, according  to  the  divine  architect's  plan. 
The  believer  and  the  Church  must  be  led 
through  the  way  laid  out  in  the  unchange- 
able Word  of  God  before  us.  Dear  reader, 
you  can  do  this  washing.  God  does  not 
require  hard  things  of  us.  We  do  this 
washing  by  faith,  in  this,  that  we  believe  oit 
Christ,  that  it  is  He  who  has  washed  our 
robes   and   has   made   them   white   in    His 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  145. 

blood.  This  faith  is  reckoned  unto  us  by 
God  for  our  righteousness.  "But  to  him 
that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him 
that  justifieth  ("makes  righteous,"  German 
translation)  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  reck- 
oned for  righteousness"  (Romans  4:5).. 
That  the  body  must  also  be  washed  in  the 
pure  water  of  God's  word,  or  blood  of 
Christ,  is  made  very  plain  to  us  by  the 
apostle  in  Hebrews  10:19-22.  "Having 
therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into 
the  holy  place  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  the 
way  which  he  dedicated  for  us,  a  new  and 
living  way,  through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say, 
his  flesh;  and  having  a  great  high  priest 
over  the  house  of  God;  let  us  draw  near 
with  a  true  heart  in  fullness  of  faith, 
having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil 
conscience  (now  notice)  and  having  our 
body  washed  with  pure  water."  It  is 
therefore  very  clear  here  that  we  must 
wash  our  body  in  order  to  come  as  priests 
into  God's  sanctuary.  The  word,  "blood," 
is  not  simply  mentioned  here  in  connection 


144  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

with  washing  the  body,  but  the  words, 
'Vith  pure  water,"  are  added.  The  pure 
water  refers  at  least  to  three  things, — the 
Word  of  God,  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the 
blood  of  Christ.  Let  us  look  at  the  Word. 
What  does  the  Word  of  God  say  about  the 
healing  of  our  bodies  from  diseases?  "Sure- 
ly He  (Christ)  has  borne  our  griefs  ("sick- 
ness" Rev.  Ver.  in  margin),  and  carried  our 
sorrows;  yet  we  did  esteem  him  stricken, 
smitten  of  God  and  afflicted.  But  he  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was 
bruised  for  our  iniquities;  the  chastisement 
of  our  peace  was  upon  him;  and  with  his 
stripes  we  are  healed"  (Isaiah  53:4,  5). 
Does  this  prophecy  of  Christ  refer  to  bodily 
sickness  or  does  it  not?  The  answer  is 
-given  by  the  Holy  Spirit  through  the  a- 
postle.  Matt.  8:13-17.  "And  Jesus  said  unto 
the  centurion.  Go  thy  way;  as  thou  hast 
l^elieved,  so  be  it  done  unto  thee.  And  the 
servant  was  healed  in  that  hour"  (bodily 
healing).  "And  when  Jesus  was  come  into 
Peter's  house,  he  saw  his  wife's  mother 
lying  sick  of  a  fever.    And  he  touched  her 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  145 

hand,  and  the  fever  left  her;  and  she  arose, 
and  ministered  unto  him"  (bodily  healing). 
"And  when  even  was  come,  they  brought 
unto  him  many  possessed  with  demons:  and 
he  cast  out  the  spirits  with  a  word,  and 
healed  all  that  were  sick"  (bodily  healing). 
Now  comes  the  answer  to  the  prophecy  in 
Isaiah  53:4,  5:  "That  it  might  be  fulfilled 
which  was  spoken  through  Isaiah  the 
prophet,  saying.  Himself  took  our  infirm- 
ities, and  bare  our  diseases."  Christ  came 
to  fulfill  prophecies  and  this  is  one  of  the 
prophecies  that  he  was  to  bear  or  take  upon 
Himself,  our  sicknesses  and  our  diseases. 
We  are  to  believe  on  Him  as  the  Scripture 
says.  Now  if  we  believe  that  He  washed 
our  bodies  in  the  pure  water  of  the  word, 
having  removed  from  us  sickness  and  dis- 
ease as  well  as  sin,  then  we  wash  our  bodies 
with  pure  water  by  faith  according  to  the 
apostle's  teaching  in  Hebrews  10:22,  "and 
having  our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water." 
Or  as  it  says  in  Rev.  7:14  "They  washed 
their  robes  and  made  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb."    O,  dear  reader,  have 


146  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

you  done  it?  If  not,  do  it  now.  It  does  not 
matter  whether  you  are  well  or  sick.  The 
body  that  feels  well  must  be  washed  just  as 
much  as  the  body  that  is  sickly.  We  all 
have  the  germs  of  diseases  and  death  in  us, 
though  we  may  feel  ever  so  well.  Christ  is 
waiting  for  His  coming  until  we  have  over- 
come to  wash  our  robes  and  make  them 
white  in  His  blood.  Christ  will  not  come 
until  His  wife,  the  Church,  has  made  her- 
self ready.  And  she  will  be  made  ready;  it 
is  sure  to  come.  Observe  that  this  washing 
of  our  robes  is  necessary  in  order  to  appear 
before  God's  throne  and  to  serve  Him  in 
His  temple.  It  is  necessary  in  order  to 
receive  the  right  to  the  tree  of  life  and  to 
the  new  Jerusalem.  "Blessed  are  they  that 
wash  their  robes,  that  they  may  have  the 
right  to  come  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may 
enter  in  by  the  gates  into  the  city"  (Rev. 
22:14  R.  v.).  To  keep  our  garments  washed 
is  necessary  in  order  to  go  with  Christ  when 
He  com.es  as  a  thief,  to  take  His  bride  from 
the  earth.  "Behold  I  come  as  a  thief. 
Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth,  and  keepeth 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  147 

Tiis  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they 
see  his  shame"  (Rev.  16:15).  Let  us  notice 
another  thing  in  Rev.  7:  how  all  the  angels 
of  God  give  Him  honor  and  worship  Him 
because  He  has  given  salvation  to  such  a 
large  multitude  out  of  all  nations  on  earth 
and  has  brought  them  to  honor  before  His 
throne.  "And  all  the  angels  were  standing 
round  about  the  throne  and  the  elders  and 
four  living  creatures:  and  they  fell  before 
the  throne  on  their  faces  and  worshipped 
God,  saying,  Amen:  Blessing,  and  glory, 
and  wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honor, 
and  power,  and  might,  be  unto  our  God  for- 
ever and  ever:  Amen."  Undoubtedly,  all 
these  angels  have  helped  God  and  Christ  to 
save  this  great  multitude.  The  same  as  the 
angels  of  God  helped  to  redeem  Israel  out 
of  Egypt  and  out  of  Babylon.  They  had  a 
part  in  the  work  with  Israel  in  helping  them 
through  the  wilderness  and  in  subduing 
their  enemies  in  Canaan.  So  have  the 
angels  now  a  great  part  in  our  salvation 
with  Christ  to  bring  us  to  Him.  "Are  they 
(the  angels)  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent 


148  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

forth  to  do  service  for  the  sake  of  them  that 
shall  inherit  salvation"  (Heb.  1:14). 

Before  leaving  the  7th  chapter  let  us 
repeat  the  blessings  that  come  upon  those 
who  have  washed  their  robes  and  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. — 
"Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of 
God;  and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his 
temple;  and  he  (the  Father)  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne  shall  spread  his  tabernacle  over 
them.  They  shall  hunger  no  more  neither 
thirst  anymore;  neither  shall  the  sun  strike 
upon  them,  nor  any  heat:  for  the  Lamb 
that  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  be 
their  shepherd,  and  shall  guide  them  unto 
fountains  of  waters  of  life:  and  God  shall 
wipe  away  every  tear  from  their  eyes." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  OPENING  OF  THE  SEVENTH 
SEAL 

In  this  chapter  we  need  again  to  re- 
member that  we  have  things  before  us  that 
take  place  before  Christ  comes.  Our  mis- 
sion is  not  yet  finished. 

Rev-  8:1-6.  And  when  he  opened  the  seventh 
seal,  there  followed  a  silence  in  heaven  about  the 
space  of  half  an  hour.  2  And  I  saw  the  seven  angels 
that  stand  before  God;  and  there  were  given  unto 
them  seven  trumpets.  3  And  another  angel  came 
and  stood  over  the  altar,  having  a  golden  censer; 
and  there  was  given  unto  him  much  incense,  that  he 
should  add  it  unto  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints  upon 
the  golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne.  4 
And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,,  with  the  prayers  of 
the  saints,  went  up  before  God  out  of  the  angel's 
hand.  5  And  the  angel  taketh  the  censer;  and  he 
filled  it  with  the  fire  of  the  altar,  and  cast  it  upon 
the  earth:  and  there  followed  thunders,  and  voices, 
and  lightnings,  and  an  earthquake.  6  And  the  seven 
angels  that  had  the  seven  trumpets  prepared  them- 
selves to  sound. 


150  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

The  opening  of  the  seventh  seal  by  the 
Lamb  is  of  great  importance  since  there  is 
silence  in  heaven  about  half  an  hour.  Great 
results  follow.  The  seven  angels  that  stand 
before  God  are  being  armed  with  seven 
trumpets.  These  seven  angels  that  stand 
before  God  no  doubt  refer  to  the  Church  of 
God  on  earth,  just  as  the  seven  angels  in 
chapters  2  and  3  represent  the  whole 
Church  on  earth  at  that  time.  Through  the 
open  door  into  heaven  from  chapter  4  the 
Church  is  raised  up  out  of  its  present  weak- 
ness into  strength,  and  God  will  be  glorified 
by  her  yet.  Remember  what  is  promised  to 
the  overcomers.  God  takes  delight  in  rais- 
ing up  a  people  that  have  fallen  and  that 
are  like  a  field  of  dry  bones.  He  takes 
glory  to  His  name  in  making  them  alive 
again  and  in  making  them  fruitful  for 
doing  His  service.  "Fear  not,  thou  worm 
Jacob;  and  ye  men  of  Israel;  I  will  help 
thee,  saith  Jehovah,  and  thy  Redeemer  is 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel.  Behold,  I  have 
made  thee  to  be  a  new  sharp  threshing 
instrument  having  teeth;  thou  shalt  thrash 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  151 

the  mountains,  and  beat  them  small,  and 
shalt  make  the  hills  as  chaff"  (Isa.  41:14, 
15).  Israel  had  become  as  weak  as  a  worm, 
but  God  said  I  will  make  thee  a  new  thresh- 
ing instrument  having  teeth.  The  same 
grace  of  God  should  be  expected  for  the 
Church  in  this  age.  The  High  Priest 
makes  intercession  for  the  Church  so  as  to 
have  it  raised  up  into  strength  and  to  be 
armed  as  never  before  in  its  history.  These 
seven  angels  receive  seven  trumpets  and 
they  receive  power  to  sound  them,  as  re- 
vealed here  in  Rev.  8:3-6.  The  Church  was 
led  into  the  great  tribulation,  but  it  became 
obedient  to  God  through  this  chastening 
and  believed  in  the  blood  to  cleanse  her. 
Therefore  she  is  used  of  God  again  as  His 
chosen  instrument  to  fulfill  a  prophetic  mis- 
sion on  earth  in  order  to  prepare  the  way 
for  Christ  to  come.  We  see  in  the  above 
passage  that  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints 
that  were  kept  by  the  24  elders  and  the 
four  living  creatures  in  golden  bowls,  come 
now  before  God,  with  the  incense  that  is 
given  to  be  added.    This  angel  that  serves 


152  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM  ' 

at  the  altar  in  verses  3-5  no  doubt  is  the 
High  Priest,  Jesus,  Himself.  He  performs 
a  work  there  like  Aaron,  the  high  priest, 
did  for  Israel  in  the  Jewish  tabernacle, 
ministering  at  the  golden  altar  to  bring  the 
offering  of  the  people  before  God.  (See 
Lev.  9).  So  does  this  priestly  angel  here. 
He  brings  the  prayer  offerings  of  the  peo- 
ple, together  with  the  much  incense  (which 
is  prayer  too,  only  not  from  the  saints  on 
earth)  on  the  golden  altar,  before  the 
throne:  *'and  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  with 
the  prayers  of  the  saints,  went  up  before 
God  out  of  the  angeFs  hand.  And  the 
angel  taketh  the  censer;  and  he  filled  it 
with  the  fire  of  the  altar,  and  cast  it  upon 
the  earth:  and  there  followed  thunders,  and 
voices,  and  lightnings,  and  an  earthquake 
and  the  seven  angels  that  had  the  seven 
trumpets  prepared  themselves  to  sound." 
They  first  received  seven  trumpets  and  then 
they  received  power  to  sound  them  through 
this  fire  which  was  cast  upon  the  earth 
from  the  altar  in  heaven.  This  fire  must  be 
another  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  153 

Bible  speaks  of  a  former  and  latter  rain. 
The  first  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit 
(which  is  likened  unto  water  and  fire)  took 
place  at  Pentecost.  Jesus  was  acting  as 
High  Priest  in  heaven  and  poured  the  Holy- 
Spirit  upon  His  Church  on  earth  at  Jerusa- 
lem. He  had  sanctified  them  on  the  cross 
just  before  and  now  He  fills  them  with 
power.  The  disciples  already  had  received 
His  Words,  the  commission  to  preach  His 
Gospel  to  all  the  world,  and  through  the 
acceptance  of  His  Words,  they  were  armed 
with  a  message.  Now  at  Pentecost  they 
received  the  power  to  preach  their  mes- 
sages. So  here  in  Rev.  7  is  the  Church 
sealed  and  cleansed  with  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,  and  in  chapter  8  it  receives  seven 
trumpets  and  the  power  to  sound  them. 
The  second  great  and  special  endowment  of 
power  may  well  be  called  the  latter  rain. 
"Be  patient  therefore,  brethren,  until  the 
coming  of  the  Lord.  Behold  the  husband- 
man waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the 
earth,  being  patient  over  it,  until  it  receive 
the    early    and    latter    rain"    (James    5:7). 


154  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Through  the  early  rain  that  came  at  Pente- 
cost, the  seed  of  God's  Word  which  Christ 
sowed  in  the  hearts  of  His  disciples,  came 
to  life  and  it  grew  wonderfully  fast,  but 
this  seed  of  Christ's  words  can  not  come  to 
perfect  fruit  without  this  second  endow- 
ment of  power,  or  latter  rain  as  revealed 
here  in  Rev.  8:1-6.  The  saints  of  old 
prayed  for  the  perfecting  of  the  Church 
and  for  the  kingdom  of  God  to  come.  The 
saints  of  today  pray  for  a  fresh  outpouring 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  for  a  world-wide 
revival.  So  we  read  in  this  passage  that  the 
prayers  of  all  saints  are  ^brought  on  the 
altar  by  the  angel  who  acts  in  the  High 
Priest's  office.  A,nd  the  smoke  of  all  these 
prayers,  together  with  the  much  incense 
that  was  yet  added  to  the  prayers  of  the 
saints,  come  up  before  God;  and  the  reward 
of  all  this  labor  is  that  a  censer  filled  with 
fire  from  the  altar  is  cast  upon  the  earth. 
Upon  this  outpouring,  thunders,  voices, 
lightnings,  and  earthquakes  take  place  upon 
earth  and  the  seven  angels  are  prepared  to 
sound  their  trumpets.    This  is  a  part  of  the 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  1.5 

power  revealed  to  us  through  the  open  door 
into  heaven  which  the  Church  is  to  receive. 
It  is  likely  the  full  fulfilment  of  Joel's 
prophecy  in  Joel  2:28-32  of  which  the 
Pentecostal  outpouring  was  the  first  or  par- 
tial fulfilment.  As  we  have  stated  before 
the  Church  in  Rev.  4:1  is  given  an  open 
door  to  receive  power  and  a  special  mission. 
Here  in  chapter  8  and  elsewhere  in  this 
book  is  this  special  mission  revealed.  May 
we  refer  again  to  the  prophet  Isaiah,  how 
he  was  qualified  for  his  mission  by  seeing 
heaven  open  and  by  receiving  that  coal  of 
fire  from  the  altar,  which  one  of  the  sera- 
phims  took  and  touched  the  prophet's  lips 
with,  and  lo,  his  sin  was  taken  away  and 
he  was  ready  to  be  sent  on  his  great  mis- 
sion. He  had  been  acting  as  prophet  or  as 
God's  servant  before  this,  yet  he  needed 
this  experience  for  his  new  mission.  ''Every 
branch  that  beareth  fruit,  he  cleanseth  it, 
that  it  may  bear  more  fruit"  (John  15:2). 
This  new  endowment  of  power  revealed 
here  in  Rev.  8:1-6  is  so  needful  for  the 
Church  today  that  without  it  we  could  not 


156  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

fully  prepare  the  way  on  earth  for  Christ 
to  come.  His  bride  could  not  be  made 
ready.  These  seven  trumpets  must  be 
sounded.  Observe  too,  that  the  bride  is 
made  ready  for  the  translation  when  the 
last  trumpet  shall  sound.  "Behold  I  tell 
you  a  mystery;  we  shall  not  all  sleep  (die), 
but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  moment. 
In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last 
trump"  (I  Cor.  15:51).  If  there  is  a  last 
trump  then  there  are  other  ones  to  be 
sounded  before,  and  here  in  Rev.  8.  we  have 
the  giving  of  the  seven  trumpets  and  they 
all  must  be  sounded  before  the  Church  is 
made  ready  for  the  translation.        : 

The  Sounding  of  the  Seven  Trumpets 

The  sounding  of  these  seven  trumpets 
by  the  seven  angels  (servants  of  Christ  in 
the  church)  extend  from  chapter  8  to  the 
end  of  chapter  14;  then  in  chapter  15  are 
the  seven  angels  revealed  from  heaven  who 
have  seven  golden  bowls  full  of  the  wrath 
of  God;  and  in  chapter  16  they  are  sent  to 
pour  them  out  into  the  earth.  It  is  re- 
vealed to  us  first,  how  the  lamb   (Jesus) 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  157 

Opens  the  seven  seals  on  that  book  from 
chapters  6  to  8,  and  after  he  has  opened 
the  seventh  seal,  then  comes  the  revelation 
of  the  seven  trumpets  from  chapter  8  to  14. 
Then  after  the  seventh  trumpet  has  sound- 
ed, comes  the  revelation  of  the  seven  angels 
from  heaven  with  their  seven  golden  bowls 
full  of  God's  wrath,  and  through  them  is 
finished  the  wrath  of  God.  These  are  the 
ones  that  complete  the  work  of  God  on 
earth  for  the  coming  of  Christ.  Christ  has 
done  His  work.  The  seven  seals  are 
opened.  He  is  waiting  for  us  to  do  our  part 
of  the  work  as  revealed  from  chapter  8  to 
14.  The  seven  angels  from  heaven  are  also 
ready  to  do  their  part  of  the  work  as  soon 
as  ours  is  done.  The  angels  in  heaven 
would  never  dare  to  do  any  work  that  God 
has  chosen  us  to  do.  Neither  will  Christ  do 
our  part  of  the  work.  These  prophecies 
concerning  Christ's  work,  our  work,  and 
the  angels'  work,  must  be  fulfilled  each  by 
the  particular  persons  named  just  as  they 
are  written.  But  we  can  never,  never  do 
the  work  laid  out  for  us  here  in  Revelation, 


158  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

unless  we  are  attached  to  this  book  of  the 
Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ.  We  must  read 
and  keep  the  words  of  the  prophecy  in  this 
book,  in  order  to  receive  the  promises  in  it; 
yea,  in  order  to  receive  this  very  armor  and 
power  revealed  to  us  here  in  Rev.  8:1-6. 
Remember  that  Israel  was  armed  too  with 
seven  trumpets  which  they  sounded  against 
their  enemies  inorder  to  inherit  the  land  of 
Canaan  (Josh.  6:13,  20).  We  must  do  like 
Joshua  and  Caleb  who  had  the  faith  in  the 
prophecies  God  made  to  Israel  and  did  not 
look  to  their  weakness  and  to  the  strength 
of  their  enemies  before  them,  as  did  the 
unbelieving  spies.  Through  the  unbelief  of 
the  ten  spies  the  whole  congregation  of 
Israel  was  turned  back  from  the  onward 
march  of  victory,  and  had  to  retreat  and 
fell  into  shame,  punishment,  and  death. 
These  ten  spies  were  men  of  high  honor. 
They  were  rulers  chosen  by  the  Lord  for 
His  tribes:  but  they  lost  their  high  calling 
as  soldiers  of  the  Lord,  because  of  their  sin 
of  unbelief  in  God's  promises  (Num.  13:1,. 
2).     This  Revelation   is  the  way  laid  out 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  159 

before  us,  through  which  we  must  go  in 
order  to  inherit  Christ's  second  coming  to 
take  His  Church  from  the  earth  and  then  to 
set  up  His  kingdom  with  her.  We  now 
turn  to  the  sounding  of  the  seven  trumpets. 

Rev.  8:7-13.  And  the  first  sounded,  and  there 
followed  hail  and  fire,  mingled  with  blood,  and  they 
were  cast  upon  the  earth:  and  the  third  part  of  the 
earth  was  burnt  up,  and  the  third  part  of  the  trees 
was  burnt  up,  and  all  green  grass  was  burnt  up.  8 
And  the  second  angel  sounded,  and  as  it  were  a 
great  mountain  burning  with  fire  was  cast  into  the 
sea:  and  the  third  part  of  the  sea  became  blood;  9 
and  there  died  the  third  part  of  the  creatures  which 
were  in  the  sea,  even  they  that  had  life;  and  the 
third  part  of  the  ships  was  destroyed.  10  And  the 
third  angel  sounded,  and  there  fell  from  heaven  a 
great  star,  burning  as  a  torch,  and  it  fell  upon  the 
third  part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon  the  fountains  of 
the  waters;  11  and  the  name  of  the  star  is  called 
Wormwood :  and  the  third  part  of  the  waters 
became  wormwood ;  and  many  men  died  of  the 
waters,  because  they  were  made  bitter.  12  And  the 
fourth  angel  sounded,  and  the  third  part  of  the  sun 
was  smitten,  and  the  third  part  of  the  moon,  and  the 
third  part  of  the  stars;  that  the  third  part  of  them 
should  be  darkened,  and  the  day  should  not  shine 
for  the  third  part  of  it,  and  the  night  in  like  manner. 


160  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

13  And  I  saw,  and  I  heard  an  angel,  flying  in  mid 
heaven,  saying  with  a  great  voice,  Woe,  woe,  woe, 
for  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  by  reason  of  the 
other  voices  of  the  trumpet  of  the  three  angels,  whcf 
are  yet  to  sound. 

Notice  that  through  these  four  angels, 
the  earth  and  the  sea  are  smitten  with 
severe  judgments.  These  judgments  are  of 
a  nature  similar  to  the  plagues  that  Moses 
had  to  lay  upon  the  Egyptians.  And  God 
used  His  chosen  servants,  Moses  and  Aaron, 
to  bring  these  judgments  upon  the  land  and 
waters  of  Egypt.  This  happened  before 
Israel  was  taken  out  of  Egypt.  So  likewise 
here  in  Rev.  8  and  9:  these  judgments  come 
upon  the  world  before  the  Church  is  trans- 
lated and  God  uses  His  chosen  servants  of 
the  Church  to  bring  these  plagues  upon  the 
unbelievers  on  land  and  sea.  Because  they 
refused  to  accept  the  Gospel  of  Christ  and 
would  not  yield  to  Him,  therefore  are  these 
severe  judgments  now  introduced. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  SOUNDING  OF  THE  FIFTH  AND 
SIXTH  TRUMPETS 

The  sounding  of  these  last  trumpets 
are  called  Woes,  because  they  are  much 
more  severe  than  the  first  four.  These 
severe  'Voes"  are,  nevertheless  a  token  of 
God's  love  to  men,  who  takes  pain  and 
patience  to  chastise  them  in  order  to  bring 
them  to  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ  for 
their  salvation,  that  He  may  do  them  good 
afterwards. 

Rev.  9:1-4.  And  the  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I 
saw  a  star  from  heaven  fallen  unto  the  earth :  and 
there  was  given  to  him  the  key  of  the  pit  of  the 
abyss.  2  And  he  opened  the  pit  of  the  abyss;  and 
there  went  up  a  smoke  out  of  the  pit,  as  the  smoke 
of  a  great  furnace;  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were 
darkened  by  reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit.  3  And 
out  of  the  smoke  came  forth  locusts  upon  the  earth; 
and  power  was  given  them,  as  the  scorpions  of  the 
earth  have  power.  4  And  it  was  said  unto  theiji 
that  they  should  not  hurt  the  grass  of  the  earth, 
neither  any  green  thing,  neither  any  tree,  but  only 


162  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

such    men   as    have    not   the    seal    of    God    on    their 
foreheads. 

Notice  why  they  were  so  tormented 
with  this  plague  of  the  fifth  angel — because 
of  not  having  the  seal  of  God  on  their  fore- 
heads. What  was,  or  is  this  seal?  We  saw 
it  in  chapter  7:14,  15.  The  faith  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb  brings  the  seal  upon  us. 
The  blood,  the  name  of  Jesus,  is  the  seal 
upon  our  foreheads,  just  as  the  Israelites  in 
Egypt  had  the  blood  of  the  lamb  on  the 
door  of  their  houses.  To  think  of  the 
blood  as  on  the  name  of  Jesus  is  a  shield 
and  seal  to  us.  To  remember  the  blood  for 
us,  as  guilty  sinners  or  saints,  is  indeed 
serving  God.  God  has  commanded  men 
everywhere  to  repent  and  believe  on  His 
Son,  and  get  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit;  and  if  men 
do  this,  they  are  indeed  serving  God.  But 
when  they  do  it  not,  then  they  have  refused 
to  take  the  seal  of  God;  they  have  refused 
to  do  the  works  in  order  to  receive  the  seal. 
Therefore  God  sends  them  heavy  judgments 
to  give  them  a  foretaste  of  hell  punishment, 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  163 

as  we  shall  see  further  in  this  chapter.  But 
we  repeat  that  these  terrible  woes  to  plague 
men,  are  not  sent  upon  them  because  God 
has  rejected  them,  but  for  the  very  purpose 
that  God  may  have  them  after  the  sore 
chastening  has  worked  in  them  the  fruit  of 
repentance. 

Rev.  9:5-11.  And  it  was  given  them  that  they 
should  not  kill  them,  but  that  they  should  be  tor- 
mented five  months :  and  their  torment  was  as  the 
torment  of  a  scorpion,  when  it  striketh  a  man.  6 
And  in  those  days  men  shall  seek  death,  and  shall 
in  no  wise  find  it;  and  they  shall  desire  to  die  and 
death  fleeth  from  them.  7  And  the  shapes  of  the 
locusts  were  like  unto  horses  prepared  for  war;  and 
upon  their  heads  as  it  were  crowns  like  unto  gold, 
and  their  faces  were  as  men's  faces.  8  And  they 
had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  and  their  teeth 
were  as  the  teeth  of  lions.  9  And  they  had  breast- 
plates, as  it  were  breastplates  of  iron;  and  the  sound 
of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots,  of 
many  horses  rushing  to  war.  10  And  they  have  tails 
like  unto  scorpions,  and  stings ;  and  in  their  tails  is 
their  power  to  hurt  men  five  months.  11  They  have 
over  them  as  king  the  angel  of  the  abyss :  his  name 
in  Hebrew  is  Abaddon,  and  in  the  Greek  tongue  he 
hath  the  name  Apollyon. 


164  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

You  will  observe  that  the  above  passage 
describes  an  army  of  destroyers, — of  course, 
largely  in  figurative  language.  The  revela- 
tor,  John,  saw  this  destructive  army  coming 
out  of  the  smoke  that  arose  from  the 
opened  pit.  They  are  described  as  locusts, 
resembling  scorpions,  horses,  having  men's 
faces.  The  king  over  them  is  called  Abad- 
don, which  means  destroyer.  The  most  im- 
portant thing  for  us  to  know  is  not,  what 
these  locusts  are,  but  that  we  have  the  seal 
of  God  on  our  forehead,  so  that  this  de- 
structive army  or  these  great  woes  can  not 
hurt  us.  We  may  look  back  in  the  shadow 
of  Israel's  history  and  see  how  the  Egyp- 
tians were  plagued  by  Moses  and  Aaron 
with  the  plague  of  frogs,  lice,  flies,  and  with 
an  enormous  army  of  locusts.  These  locusts 
"covered  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  so 
that  the  land  was  darkened;  and  they  did 
eat  every  herb  of  the  land,  and  all  the 
fruit  of  trees  which  the  hail  had  left:  and 
there  remained  not  any  green  thing,  either 
tree  or  herb  of  the  field,  through  all  the 
land  of  Egypt"  (Ex.  10:15).    Here  in  Reve- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  165 

lation  the  locusts  are  not  allowed  to  hurt 
the  grass  of  the  earth  neither  any  green 
thing,  neither  any  tree,  but  only  such  men 
who  have  not  the  seal  of  God  on  their  fore- 
heads. This  plague  is  to  last  five  months. 
Surely  these  men  can  not  say  that  God  did 
not  give  them  a  foretaste  of  the  torment  of 
hell.  They  can  not  say  at  the  judgment  of 
God,  "You  did  not  do  your  duty  to  chastise 
me  that  I  might  repent  of  my  evil  ways,  and 
now  I  am  lost  because  of  the  neglect  of 
chastisement." 

Rev.  9:12-21.  The  first  Woe  is  past:  behold, 
there  come  yet  two  Woes  hereafter.  13  And  the 
sixth  angel  sounded,  and  I  heard  a  voice  from  the 
horns  of  the  golden  altar  which  is  before  God,  14 
one  saying  to  the  sixth  angel  that  had  the  trumpet, 
Loose  the  four  angels  that  are  bound  at  the  great 
river  Euphrates.  15  And  the  four  angels  were 
loosed,  that  had  been  prepared  for  the  hour  and  day 
and  month  and  year,  that  they  should  kill  the  third 
part  of  men.  16  And  the  number  of  the  armies  of 
the  horsemen  was  twice  ten  thousand  times  ten 
thousand :  I  heard  the  number  of  them.  17  And 
thus  I  saw  the  horses  in  the  vision,  and  them  that 
sat  on  them,  having  breastplates  as  of  fire  and  of 
hyacinth   and   of   brimstone:    and  the  heads   of   the 


166  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

horses  are  as  the  heads  of  lions;  and  out  of  their 
mouths  proceedeth  fire  and  smoke  and  brimstone.  18 
By  these  three  plagues  was  the  third  part  of  men 
killed,  by  the  fire  and  the  smoke  and  the  brimstone, 
which  proceedeth  out  of  their  mouths.  19  For  the 
power  of  the  horses  is  in  their  mouths,  and  in  their 
tails :  for  their  tails  are  like  unto  serpents,  and  have 
heads;  and  with  them  they  hurt.  20  And  the  rest 
of  mankind,  who  were  not  killed  with  these  plagues, 
repented  not  of  the  works  of  their  hands,  that  they 
should  not  worship  demons,  and  the  idols  of  gold, 
and  of  silver,  and  of  brass,  and  of  stone,  and  of 
wood;  which  can  neither  see,  nor  hear,  nor  walk: 
21  and  they  repented  not  of  their  murders,  nor  of 
their  sorceries,  nor  of  their  fornication,  nor  of  their 
thefts. 

Notice  that  this  woe  or  plague  is  de- 
scribed as  an  army  of  soldiers.  The  war 
weapons  with  which  they  kill  the  third  part 
of  men,  are  fire,  smoke,  and  brimstone, 
which,  as  I  believe,  describes  the  use  of 
gun  powder  connected  with  fire  and  gun 
balls — ''Brimstone"  (gun  and  cannon  balls), 
"fire  and  smoke"  (resulting  from  gun  pow- 
der). The  revelator  saw  the  future  arms 
and  instruments  of  war  which  at  that  time 
were  not  yet  invented.    The  revelator  saw 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  167 

the  horses  and  the  men  who  sat  on  them 
having  breastplates  as  of  fire  and  of  hya- 
cinth and  of  brimstone. 

Evidently  this  describes  the  soldier  on 
his  horse  with  his  gun  or  pistol  to  shoot, 
his  sword  to  stab,  and  his  coat  of  steel.  But 
this  passage  speaks  also  of  the  horses;  that 
out  of  their  mouth  proceedeth  fire  and 
smoke,  and  brimstone  and  that  in  their 
mouth  is  their  power  and  that  their  tails  are 
like  serpents  and  have  heads  and  that  the 
heads  of  the  horses  are  like  the  heads  of 
lions.  I  believe  this  describes  the  cannon 
which  in  time  of  battle  is  placed  at  the  head 
of  the  horses  and  after  the  battle  behind  the 
horses  to  draw  them  away.  Thus  it  would 
indicate  the  tail  of  the  horse,  but  when  the 
cannon  is  in  front  of  the  horse,  then  the 
head.  The  cannon  is  shaped  like  a  serpent 
and  has  a  head.  Out  of  the  cannon  pro- 
ceedeth fire,  smoke,  and  brimstone  (balls). 
The  cannon  is  the  lion  instrument  of  war 
weapons.  Let  us  notice  further  that  the 
above  passage  connects  us  with  the  great 
river  Euphrates,  and  hence  reminds  us  of 


168  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

the  deliverance  of  Israel  out  of  Babylon  by 
king  Cyrus,  who  went  through  the  river  bed 
of  Euphrates  and  conquered  Babylon  and 
afterwards  released  Israel  from  their  cap- 
tivity. The  Lord  delivered  Israel  out  of  the 
Babylonish  captivity  by  an  army  of  human 
soldiers;  not  through  the  plagues  of  nature 
as  in  Egypt,  when  He  used  the  frogs,  flies, 
lice,  locusts,  hail,  fire,  and  darkness,  and 
when  He  slew  the  firstborn.  So  we  may 
well  believe  that  the  above  passage  refers 
to  an  enormous  army  of  soldiers.  Jesus 
prophesied  when  He  was  rejected  as  the 
Savior  and  the  King  of  peace,  that  there 
would  be  wars  and  rumors  of  wars  and 
great  signs  of  plagues  in  nature.  As  Israel 
had  to  be  delivered  out  of  the  nations  of 
Egypt  and  Babylon,  so  must  the  people  of 
God  today  be  delivered  out  of  spiritual 
Egypt  and  Babylon.  And  God  will  use  the 
different  means  to  deliver  us  as  they  are 
described  in  this  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  ANGEL  WITH  THE  LITTLE  BOOK 

We  come  now  to  a  very  important  part 
of  prophecy  in  chapters  10  and  11  in  con- 
nection with  the  sounding  of  the  sixth 
trumpet,  which  takes  place  before  Christ 
comes  to  take  His  Church  out  of  the  earth. 
We  have  yet  a  prophetic  mission  to  fulfill, 
as  described  in  these  two  chapters,  in  order 
to  finish  our  part  of  the  work  in  preparing 
the  way  for  the  translation  and  for  Christ  to 
come.  May  the  Lord  through  His  Spirit  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge  of  prophecy  teach 
us  and  guide  in  this  writing.  Amen. 

Rev.  10:1-4.  And  I  saw  another  strong  angel 
coming  down  out  of  heaven,  arrayed  with  a  cloud; 
and  the  rainbow  was  upon  his  head,  and  his  face 
was  as  the  sun,  and  his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire;  2  and 
he  had  in  his  hand  a  Httle  book  open:  and  he  set 
his  right  foot  upon  the  sea,  and  his  left  upon  the 
earth;  3  and  he  cried  with  a  great  voice,  as  a  lion 
roareth:  and  when  he  cried,  the  seven  thunders 
uttered  their  voices.     4  And  when  the  seven  thun- 


170  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

ders  uttered  their  voices,  I  was  about  to  write :  and 
I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying,  Seal  up  the 
things  which  the  seven  thunders  uttered,  and  write 
them  not. 

The  description  of  this  angel  in  the 
above  passage  causes  us  to  believe  it  to  be 
Christ.  The  rainbow  upon  His  head  shows 
Him  as  the  angel  of  the  covenant  of  peace. 
For  that  is  what  the  rainbow  signifies — 
peace  from  God  to  man.  It  is  the  seal  from 
God  to  man  that  He  will  not  punish  but 
freely  pardon  the  guilty  upon  faith  in  the 
offering  for  sin,  made  on  the  cross  by 
Christ's  blood  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world.  His  face  and  feet  and  voice  are  like 
the  one  described  in  Rev.  1:13-16,  who  is 
Christ.  After  the  heavy,  dark  judgment 
clouds  that  were  sent  over  the  earth,  as  we 
have  seen  in  the  foregoing  chapters,  ap- 
pears at  once  this  angel  with  the  rainbow  of 
peace  and  life  for  the  servants  of  God,  to 
give  them  a  special  message  by  this  little 
open  book.  It  is  almost  as  when  in  times  of 
the  dark  clouds  and  thunderstorms,  the 
rainbow  appears  in  the  sky,  by  which  God 


THE    BOOK    OF     REVELATION  171 

remembers  His  promise  not  to  punish  man 
and   beast   by   a    flood   again.     So    is   the 
appearance  of  this  angel  a  special  token  of 
God's  mercy  to  the  world.    The  fact' that  He 
places  His  right  foot  upon  the  sea  and  His 
left  upon  the  earth,  reveals  Him  as  the  heir, 
as  possessor  of  the  sea  and  the  earth.    For 
the  Father  has  made  Him  the  heir  of  all 
things:    "Whom   he   appointed   heir   of   all 
things,   through   whom   also   he   made   the 
worlds"  (Heb.  1 :2).    "Ask  of  me,  and  I  will 
give  thee  the  nations  for  thine  inheritance, 
and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy 
possessions"  (Psa.  2:8).    In  His  appearance 
here  in  Rev.   10  He  does  not  take  in  the 
kingdom    but   He    appears   to    His   special 
servants  to  give  them   a  message  of  pro- 
phecy to  prepare  the  way  for  Him  to  come. 
It  is  what  He  has  promised  to  the  over- 
comers   in   His   church   according   to   Rev. 
2:26-29  and  3:11-13.     "And  he  that  over- 
cometh,  and  he  that  keepeth  my  works  unto 
the  end,  to  him  will  I  give  authority  over 
the  nations:  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a 
rod  of  iron,  as  the  vessels  of  the  potter  are 


172  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

broken  to  shivers;  as  I  also  received  of  my 
Father:  and  I  will  give  him  the  morning 
star."  This  Morning  Star  is  Christ.  See 
Rev.  22:16.  The  apostle  John  was  not 
allowed  to  write  what  the  seven  thunders 
uttered.  This  is  a  fulfilment  of  prophecy  by 
Jesus — "And  except  those  days  had  been 
shortened,  no  flesh  would  have  been  saved: 
but  for  the  elect's  sake  those  days  shall  be 
shortened"  (Matt.  24:22).  This  means  that 
in  this  dispensation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  we 
will  not  have  to  go  through  all  the  tribula- 
tions, foreshadowed  in  Israel's  history,  or  as 
it  had  been  purposed  at  the  beginning.  It  is 
reasonable  to  believe  that  this  part  of  the 
time  which  is  shortened  will  come  in  after 
the  devil  shall  be  let  loose  again  out  of  his 
prison  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  will  yet 
undergo  a  very  hard  attack  of  its  enemy 
according  to  Rev.  20:7-10. 

Rev.  10:5-7.  And  the  angel  that  I  saw  standing 
upon  the  sea  and  upon  the  earth  Hfted  up  his  right 
hand  to  heaven,  6  and  sware  by  him  that  liveth  for 
ever  and  ever,  who  created  the  heaven  and  the 
things  that  are  therein,  and  the  earth  and  the  things 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  173 

that  are  therein,  and  the  sea  and  the  things  that  are 
therein,  that  there  shall  be  delay  no  longer:  7  but  in 
the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel,  when  he 
is  about  to  sound,  then  is  finished  the  mystery  of 
God,  according  to  the  good  tidings  which  he  de- 
clared to  his  servants  the  prophets. 

The  above  passage  reveals  us  the  all 
important  mystery  in  regard  to  whom  it  is 
given  to  bring  the  time  of  grace  to  a  close. 
Oh,  how  many  (even  some  dear  servants  of 
God)  have  fallen  into  this  blunder,  to  state, 
the  time  of  the  end  by  naming  dates.  The 
above  passage  reveals  to  us  that  this  angel 
(which  we  believe  to  be  Christ  Himself), 
alone  has  this  power  to  bring  this  time  of 
grace  to  a  close,  and  set  dates.  (We  need  to 
recognize  that  Christ  received  more  knowl- 
edge and  power  of  the  Father  about  the 
time  of  the  end,  than  what  He  had  when  He 
was  in  the  flesh.  Then  He  did  not  have  yet 
this  Revelation  of  the  Father  according  to 
chapter  1:1).  He  is  doing  this  with  an 
oath,  which  no  man  has  a  right  to  use 
(Matt.  5:33-36).  The  above  passage  also 
reveals  us  this  truth,  that  the  close  of  the 


174  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

time  of  grace  is  connected  with  the  sound- 
ing of  the  seventh  trumpet.  God  will  not 
cause  this  time  to  come  to  a  close  before  the 
people  have  received  the  needful  message 
and  have  been  duly  warned,  as  in  the  time 
of  the  flood. 

Rev.  10:8-11.  And  the  voice  which  I  heard 
from  heaven,  I  heard  it  again  speaking  with  me,  and 
saying,  Go,  take  the  book  which  is  open  in  the  hand 
of  the  angel  that  standeth  upon  the  sea  and  upon  the 
earth.  9  And  I  went  unto  the  angel,  saying  unto  him 
that  he  should  give  me  the  little  book.  And  he  saith 
unto  me.  Take  it,  and  eat  it  up;  and  it  shall  make 
thy  belly  bitter,  but  in  thy  mouth  it  shall  be  sweet 
as  honey.  10  And  I  took  the  little  book  out  of  the 
angel's  hand,  and  ate  it  up;  and  it  was  in  my  mouth 
■sweet  as  honey :  and  when  I  had  eaten  it,  my  belly 
was  made  bitter.  11  And  they  say  unto  me,  Thou 
must  prophesy  again  over  many  peoples  and  nations 

rand  tongues  and  kings. 

« 

In  the  beginning  of  chapter  4:1  we 
have  stated  that  John  represents  the  church 
upon  earth  when  he  saw  the  open  door  into 
heaven  and  a  voice  said  to  him  "come  up 
liither:"  and  that  he  also  represents  the 
Church  here  in  chapter  10:8-11  when  the 


THE    BOOK    OF     REVELATION  175 

voice  speaks  to  him  again  saying:  "Go,  take 

the  book  and  eat  it  up and  thou  must 

prophesy    again    over    many    peoples    and 
nations  and  tongues  and  kings."    How  plain- 
ly does  this  show  to  us,  that  the  mission 
of  the  Church  in  chapter  4:1  was  not  yet 
finished,  but  that  the  Church  gets  an  open 
door  to   see   into   heaven   to   become   con- 
nected with  all  conquering  powers  of  God 
in  heaven,  and  to  receive  a  special  prophetic 
mission.    We  see  this  so  clearly  proven  here 
in  Rev.   10:8-11.     This  mission,  to  eat  up 
the  little  book  and  to  prophesy  it  to  the 
many  peoples,  nations,  tongues,  and  kings, 
is  given  to  the  apostle  John  direct,  as  the 
representative  of  the  Church  on  earth,  over 
which  Christ  had  placed  him  as  His  apostle. 
Christ  had  received  a  sealed  book  from  God, 
as  seen  in  chapter  5;  but  He  opened  the 
seven  seals  of  that  book  as  we  have  seen. 
Now  He  gives  an  open  book  to  John  with 
the  command  to  eat  it  up  and  to  prophesy  it. 
What  could  this  little  open  book  be,  if  it 
were  not  just  this  very  little  book  of  the 
Revelation    of   Jesus    Christ   that   we    are 


176  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Studying, — the  book  which  has  been  such  a 
sealed  book  to  us  and  to  the  Church  in  the 
past?  It  will  remain  sealed  to  us  unless  we 
believe  that  Christ  has  opened  it.  For  no 
one  was  found  worthy  to  open  it  nor  to  look 
on  it  but  He  alone.  This  one  thing  is  very, 
very  clear  that  Christ,  or  at  least  this  angel 
gives  the  servant  of  the  Church  a  little  open 
book  to  eat  and  to  prophesy  for  the  many 
peoples,  nations,  tongues,  and  kings.  Re- 
member that  the  prophet  Ezekiel  received  a 
similar  book,  or  letter,  to  eat  and  to  pro- 
phesy, during  the  captivity  of  Israel.  His 
mission  was  not  confined  to  Israel  alone,  but 
to  otner  nations  as  well.  Israel  received  this 
of  the  Lord  through  the  prophet,  before 
they  had  been  delivered  out  of  Babylon  and 
before  the  promised  Savior  was  born  unto 
them  (Ezek.  2:8-10  and  3:1-4).  In  like 
manner  here,  as  in  the  shadow,  does  God 
'give  His  special  servants  of  the  Church 
such  a  message  and  Mission  with  authority 
to  prophesy  it.  And  this  prophecy  must  be 
fulfilled  before  the  Church  will  be  taken 
away  to  meet  Christ  in  the  air.    We  can  not 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  177 

expect  to  have  the  promise  of  His  second 
coming  fulfilled  unto  us  until  we  have 
finished  our  Mission. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE   SOUNDING   OF  THE   SEVENTH 
TRUMPET 

Rev.  11:1-2.  And  there  vv^as  given  me  a  reed 
like  unto  a  rod :  and  one  said,  Rise,  and  measure 
the  temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and  them  that 
worship  therein.  2  And  the  court  which  is  without 
the  temple  leave  without,  and  measure  it  not;  for 
it  hath  been  given  unto  the  nations :  and  the  holy 
city  shall  they  tread  under  foot  forty  and  twa 
months. 

The  temple  of  God  and  they  that  wor- 
ship therein  was  to  be  measured,  that  is,  it 
was  to  be  rebuilt  or  raised  up  from  its  fall. 
This  temple  of  God  is  the  Church  of  God, 
and  they  that  worship  therein  are  His  ser- 
vants who  have  not  given  up  their  service 
as  priests  of  God,  though  the  Church  has 
fallen  and  is  in  the  captivity  of  Babylon 
under  the  mother  of  harlots  and  is  largely 
joined  to  the  world  today.  As  Israel  fell 
into  the  captivity  of  Assyria  and  Babylon, 
so  has  the  Church  fallen  and  has  lost  to  a 
great  extent  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  that  it 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION 

once  had,  especially  in  the  apostles'  time. 
But  as  Israel  was  brought  back  and  the 
temple  was  rebuilt  and  the  true  worship  of 
the  priesthood  re-established  so  shall  the 
Church  be  brought  back  and  the  true  wor- 
ship of  the  Spirit  with  its  gifts  restored,  and 
the  promise  of  Christ's  coming  be  fulfilled 
to  us.  Praise  God's  Holy  name.  But  the 
court  that  was  without  the  temple  should 
not  be  measured  for  it  was  given  to  the 
nations.  We  believe  that  the  court  just 
before  the  temple  signifies  the  law.  Christ 
is  the  real  temple  of  God,  but  the  Church  is 
the  temple  too.  ''Know  ye  not  that  ye  are 
the  temple  of  God,  and  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  dwelleth  in  you"  (I  Cor.  3:16)  ?  Christ 
lias  not  fallen.  He  does  not  need  to  be 
raised  up  again;  but  the  Church  has  fallen 
and  It  must  be  raised  again.  The  law  came 
before  Christ  or  before  the  Church.  The 
law  served  as  a  tutor  to  bring  us  to  Christ, 
but  after  we  are  in  Christ  as  in  the  Spirit 
we  do  not  need  the  tutor  anymore.  See 
Gal.  3:23-25.  We  do  not  worship  in  the 
court  anymore,  but  in  the  temple;  that  is, 


180  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

we  worship  under  the  new  law  of  the  Spirit 
and  not  in  the  old  law  of  the  letter.  But 
the  law  is  given  to  the  nations.  They  are 
us  ng  the  carnal  weapons  such  as  were  used 
under  the  law  in  Israel's  history.  The  na- 
tions today  are  using  the  oath,  the  sword, 
granting  divorces  between  man  and  wife  as 
under  the  law,  things  which  are  forbidden 
in  the  New  Testament.  So  the  law  or  the 
court  v/ithout  the  temple  is  given  to  the 
nations  and  because  this  power  is  given 
unto  them  they  will  tread  the  saints — the 
holy  city — under  foot  for  42  months.  This 
prophecy  will  be  fulfilled  by  the  Antichrist. 
"And  there  was  given  to  him  authority  to 
continue  42  months."  *'And  it  was  given 
unto  him  to  make  war  with  the  saints,  and 
to  overcome  them"  (Rev.  13:5,  7).  "And  he 
shall  speak  words  against  the  Most  High, 
and  shall  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High." — "And  they  shall  be  given  into  his 
hand  until  a  time  and  times  and  half  a  time" 
(Dan.  7:25)  meaning  no  doubt  one  year, 
two  years,  and  a  half  year:  the  same  as 
forty-two  months. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  181 

The  Two  Witnesses 

Rev.  11:3-13.  And  I  will  give  unto  my  two 
witnesses,  and  they  shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two 
hundred  and  threescore  days,  clothed  in  sackcloth. 
4  These  are  the  two  olive  trees  and  the  two  candle- 
sticks, standing  before  the  Lord  of  the  earth.  5 
And  if  any  man  desireth  to  hurt  them,  fire  proceed- 
eth  out  of  their  mouth  and  devoureth  their  enemies; 
and  if  any  man  shall  desire  to  hurt  them,  in  this 
manner  must  he  be  killed.  6  These  have  the  power 
to  shut  the  heaven,  that  it  rain  not  during  the  days 
of  their  prophecy:  and  they  have  power  over  the 
waters  to  turn  them  into  blood,  and  to  smite  the 
earth  with  every  plague,  as  often  as  they  shall 
desire.  7  And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their 
testimony,  the  beast  that  cometh  up  out  of  the  abyss 
shall  make  war  with  them,  and  overcome  them,  and 
kill  them.  8  And  their  dead  bodies  lie  in  the  street 
of  the  great  city,  which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom 
"and  Egypt,  where  also  their  Lord  was  crucified.  9 
And  from  among  the  peoples  and  tribes  and  tongues 
and  nations  do  men  look  upon  their  dead  bodies 
three  days  and  a  half,  and  suffer  not  their  dead 
bodies  to  be  laid  in  a  tomb.  10  And  they  that  dwell 
on  the  earth  rejoice  over  them,  and  make  merry; 
and  they  shall  send  gifts  one  to  another;  because 
these  two  prophets  tormented  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth.     11  And  after  the  three  days  and  a  half  the 


182  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

breath  of  life  from  God  entered  into  them,  and  they 
stood  upon  their  feet;  and  great  fear  fell  upon  them 
that  beheld  them-  12  And  they  heard  a  great  voice 
from  heaven  saying  unto  them,  Come  up  hither. 
And  they  went  up  into  heaven  in  the  cloud;  and 
their  enemies  beheld  them.  13  And  in  that  hour 
there  was  a  great  earthquake,  and  the  tenth  part  of 
the  city  fell;  and  there  were  killed  in  the  earthquake 
seven  thousand  persons :  and  the  rest  were  affright- 
ed, and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven. 

Who  are  these  two  mysterious  witnesses? 
We  refer  back  to  the  prophecy  in  Zech. 
4:14,  'These  are  the  two  anointed  ones,  that 
stand  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth."  And 
in  the  above  passage  of  Rev.  1 1  Christ  calls 
them  "my  two  witnesses."  They  are  clothed 
with  sackcloth  like  he  was,  *'I  made  sack- 
cloth my  clothing"  (Psa.  69:11).  These 
two  witnesses  are  clothed  with  the  suffering 
or  dying  garments  of  Christ.  They  are  His 
witnesses  because  grace  is  given  them  to  die 
for  the  sake  of  others.  They  may  not  be 
sin  offerings  but  burnt  offerings  to  die  for 
others  as  Christ  did.  They  are  His  wit- 
nesses to  prophesy  His  full  salvation  over 
the  whole  world,  and  after  they  have  fin- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  183 

ished  their  testimony,  then  they  are  given 
over  to  be  killed  by  the  Antichrist.  Their 
bodies  shall  not  see  corruption,  as  Christ's 
body  did  not;  and  they  shall  be  made 
alive  again,  like  Christ's  body  was;  and 
after  they  shall  be  raised  to  life  again 
they  shall  ascend  into  heaven  with  the 
cloud  as  Christ  did;  and  thus  they  be- 
come His  full  witnesses.  It  is  His  Church 
that  is  transformed  into  His  likeness.  It  is 
that  which  the  apostle  Paul  strove  to  obtain 
in  Phil.  3:7-16;  namely,  "That  I  may  know 
him,  and  the  power  of  His  resurrection, 
and  the  fellowship  of  his  suffering,  becom- 
ing conformed  unto  his  death;  if  by  any 
means  I  may  attain  unto  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead."  We  see  this  fulfilled  by 
the  Church  of  Christ  here  in  Rev.  11  in 
these  two  witnesses.  The  apostle  Paul  died 
a  martyr  for  Christ,  but  his  body  was  not 
made  alive  again  and  taken  to  heaven  in  a 
cloud,  like  the  bodies  of  these  two  wit- 
nesses. Remember  we  have  things  before 
us  that  must  take  place  before  Christ 
comes  to  take  His  Church  from  the  earth. 


184  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

These  two  witnesses  bear  the  name  "can- 
dlesticks" a  name  which  is  applied  to  a 
church  and  not  a  single  person.  In  Rev. 
1 :20  the  name  "star"  is  applied  to  the  dif- 
ferent servants  of  Christ  who  were  the 
leaders  of  the  different  churches,  but  to 
the  churches  as  an  assembly  of  people,  the 
name  "candlestick"  is  applied.  So  these 
two  witnesses  of  Christ  are  named  "candle- 
sticks," which  causes  us  to  believe  that  they 
are  two  bodies  of  chosen  saints  rather  than 
two  persons.  Also  from  what  is  said  of 
them  in  Rev.  1 1 :9,  "And  from  among  the 
peoples  and  tribes  and  tongues  and  nations 
(plurals)  do  men  look  upon  their  dead 
bodies."  We  believe  that  they  must  be 
more  than  two  individuals.  They  are  killed  in 
the  great  city,  spiritual  Sodom  and  Egypt; 
where  their  Lord  was  crucified,  Jerusalem 
in  the  time  of  Christ  had  become  as  wicked 
as  Sodom  and  as  Egypt  was  in  the  time  of 
Moses.  In  Rev.  1 1 :4,  these  two  witnesses 
of  Christ  are  also  called  "olive  trees."  This 
describes  them  as  especially  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit.   Probably  not  merely  for  them- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  185 

selves  alone  but  for  others;  as  in  the  time 
of  the  apostles,  the  Lord  had  anointed  the 
apostles  so  that  when  they  laid  hands  on 
others  and  prayed  for  them  He  gave  the 
Spirit  unto  others  through  them.  They  are 
also  called  prophets,  no  doubt  because  of 
their  mission  and  power  to  smite  the  earth 
with  plagues  as  often  as  they  shall  desire. 
They  have  a  power  given  to  them  as  Moses 
and  Elijah  had.  But  remember  the  power 
was  given  to  Moses  to  smite  Egypt  with 
plagues  in  order  to  deliver  Israel  out  of 
Egypt  and  to  bring  them  into  the  land  of 
Canaan.  And  the  power  was  given  to  Elias 
to  smite  the  land  with  three  and  one-half 
year's  drought  in  order  to  bring  Israel  back 
from  the  worship  of  Baal.  All  the  power 
that  God  gave  to  Moses,  Joshua,  to  the 
judges,  David,  Elias  and  later  on  to  other 
prophets  and  men  of  God,  was  always  given 
to  be  used  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  the 
way  through  Israel  and  through  the  people 
in  the  world  for  Christ  to  come.  So  like- 
wise here  in  Rev.  11  is  this  power  given  to 
these  two  witnesses  to  prepare  the  way  in 


186  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

the  Church  and  by  all  the  people  in  the 
world,  for  Christ's  second  coming.  Just  as 
Israel  needed  prophets  with  such  power, 
so  the  Church  of  Christ  today  needs  proph- 
ets with  the  same  power  as  revealed  here 
in  this  eleventh  chapter  of  Revelation. 
This  is  what  our  God  has  in  store  for 
us.  The  Church  is  in  great  weakness 
today.  It  is  in  bondage  in  the  world. 
It  is  in  captivity  to  the  modern  Babylon. 
It  is  defiled  with  the  teaching  of  Balaam 
and  with  the  adultery  and  fornication  of 
Jezebel,  and  God  must  send  the  two-edged 
sword  to  purify  it.  The  power  given  to 
these  two  witnesses  is  promised  to  those 
who  overcome  in  the  churches  upon  earth. 
(The  reader  is  referred  to  Rev.  2:26-29  and 
3:12,  13).  Christ  promised  great  power  to 
those  who  believe  on  Him.  "Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  he  that  believeth  on  me,  the 
works  that  I  do  shall  he  do  also:  and  great- 
er works  than  these  shall  he  do:  because  I 
go  to  my  father"  (John  14:12).  Why 
should  we  believe  that  one  of  these  wit- 
nesses refer  to  Moses'  coming  again  when 


TH£    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  187 

therB-is  no  such  prophecy  referring  to  this? 
Where  is  the  foundation  for  this  teaching? 
God  will  fulfill  His  prophecies.  And  why- 
should  we  believe  that  Elijah  will  come 
again  and  act  as  one  of  these  two  witnesses, 
when  Christ  said  that  Elijah  has  already 
come  in  the  person  of  John  the  Baptist? 
"And  his  disciples  asked  him,  saying,  Why 
then  say  the  scribes  that  Elijah  must  first 
come?  And  he  answered  and  said,  Elijah 
indeed  cometh,  and  shall  restore  all  things: 
but  I  say  unto  you,  that  Elijah  is  come 
already,  and  they  knew  him  not,  but  did 
unto  him  whatsoever  they  would"  (Matt. 
17:10-12).  There  is  also  no  prophecy  con- 
cerning Enoch  that  he  should  come  again. 
We  repeat,  that  God  fulfills  His  prophecies. 
He  makes  His  secrets  known  to  His  own 
through  the  word  of  prophecy.  **Surely 
the  Lord  Jehovah  will  do  nothing,  except 
he  reveal  his  secret  unto  his  servants  the 
prophets"  (Amos  3:7).  Therefore  will  God 
do  nothing  except  what  He  revealed  to  us 
through  His  Word  of  prophecy.  But  since 
God  has  revealed  all  things  to  us  in  these 


188  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

prophecies  of  Revelation,  it  must  then  be 
revealed  to  us  from  where  these  two  wit- 
nesses come  and  to  whom  such  a  power  and 
prophetic  mission  is  promised.  Do  they  not 
come  out  of  the  Church  of  Christ?  The 
powers  and  mission  that  these  two  wit- 
nesses exercise  is  very  clearly  promised  to 
those  who  overcome  the  evils  in  the 
churches  and  who  continue  to  hold  fast  the 
words  and  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ.  This 
is  so  plainly  revealed  in  the  seven  messages 
to  the  seven  churches  in  Rev.  2  and  3  that 
the  honest  seeker  for  the  truth  cannot  help 
but  see  it. 

Let  us  just  notice  again  what  is  prom- 
ised to  those  who  overcome.  In  the  mes- 
sage to  the'  church  at  Ephesus  we  read,  "To 
him  that  overcometh,  to  him  will  I  give  to 
eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the 
Paradise  of  God."  We  see  this  promise 
fulfilled  in  these  two  witnesses  for  their 
bodies  did  not  return  to  the  dust  of  the 
earth  after  they  were  killed,  but  were  made 
alive  again  and  translated  to  heavn.  This 
grace  had  never  yet  been  fulfilled  in  anyone 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  189 

before  save  in  Christ.  They  overcame  not 
to  fall  away  from  the  first  love  and  so  they 
inherited  the  promise  (Rev.  2:1-7). 

In  the  message  to  the  church  at  Smyr- 
na we  read,  ''He  that  overcometh  shall  not 
be  hurt  of  the  second  death."  This  promise 
is  fulfilled  in  the  two  witnesses.  They  were 
hurt  by  the  first  death;  they  were  killed  but 
were  taken  to  heaven  with  the  cloud.  The 
second  death  has  no  power  over  them. 
They  are  under  the  protection  of  God  who 
liveth  forever  and  ever.  Because  they  filled 
the  condition  to  be  faithful  unto  death, 
they  received  the  crown  of  life.  "Be  thou 
faithful  unto  death  and  I  will  give  thee  the 
crown  of  life"  (Rev.  2:10,  11).  Oh,  how 
plainly  can  this  be  seen  fulfilled  in  the  two 
witnesses. 

In  the  message  to  the  angel  of  the 
church  at  Pergamum  we  read,  'To  him  that 
overcometh,  to  him  will  I  give  of  the  hidden 
manna,  and  I  will  give  him  a  white  stone, 
and  upon  the  stone  a  new  name  written, 
which  no  one  knoweth  but  he  that  receiv- 
eth  it."     Did  not  these  two  witnesses  re- 


190  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

ceive  a  new  name,  since  their  bodies  were 
made  alive  again?  No  one  had  received 
this  new  name  before  except  Christ.  The 
white  stone  probably  refers  to  their  blood 
washed  bodies.  The  law  of  putrefaction 
had  no  power  over  their  bodies,  for  they 
had  also  received  the  hidden  manna  which 
is  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  ac- 
cording to  Jesus'  words  in  John  6:49-51. 
In  their  testimony  these  two  witnesses 
overcome  the  destructive  doctrine  of  Ba- 
laam and  that  of  the  Nicolaitans  existing  in 
the  church  at  Pergamum  and  therefore 
they  inherited  the  promises  (Rev.  2:12-17), 

In  the  message  to  the  angel  of  the 
church  at  Thyatira  we  read,  **And  he  that 
overcometh,  and  he  that  keepeth  my  works 
unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I  give  authority 
over  the  nations:  and  he  shall  rule  them 
with  a  rod  of  iron,  as  the  vessels  of  the 
potter  are  broken  to  shivers;  as  I  also  have 
received  of  my  Father:  and  I  will  give  him 
the  morning  star."  How  plain  is  this  arm- 
or and  power  revealed  in  the  two  witnesses. 
They  have  authority  over  the  nations  and 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  191 

power  to  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron.  For 
we  read  of  them  in  Rev.  11:5,  6;  "And  if 
any  man  desireth  to  hurt  them,  fire  pro- 
ceedeth  out  of  their  mouth  and  devoureth 
their  enemies;  and  if  any  man  shall  desire 
to  hurt  them,  in  this  manner  must  he  be 
killed.  These  have  the  power  to  shut  the 
heaven,  so  that  it  rain  not  during  the  days 
of  their  prophecy:  and  they  have  power 
over  the  waters  to  turn  them  into  blood, 
and  to  smite  the  earth  with  every  plague,  as 
often  as  they  shall  desire."  These  two 
witnesses  truly  have  this  power  which  is 
promised  to  the  overcomer  of  the  evils  in 
the  church  at  Thyatira.  These  witnesses 
overcame  in  their  testimony  for  Christ  to 
judge  the  awful  adultery  and  fornication 
going  on  by  the  woman,  Jezebel,  and  toler- 
ated as  in  the  church  at  Thyatira.  These 
two  witnesses  as  overcomers  of  the  above 
evils  and  in  holding  fast  the  works  of 
Christ,  are  now  gifted  with  authority  and 
power  to  finish  the  testimony  for  Christ  to 
come.  They  are  doing  the  work  to  a  small 
extent  what  Christ  will  complete,  when  He 


192  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

comes  with  the  iron  rod  to  smite  the  na- 
tions as  revealed  in  Rev.  19:11-21.  To  the 
overcomer  in  the  church  at  Thyatira  is  also 
the  morning  star  promised  which  is  Christ 
Himself  (Rev.  2:18-28;  Rev.  22:16).  This 
shows  us  that  the  promise  of  Christ's  sec- 
ond coming  cannot  be  inherited  by  the 
Church,  until  the  works  named  in  Rev.  2: 
26-29  have  been  done,  by  the  overcomers  or 
the  chosen  servants  of  Christ.  Yea,  the 
Church  cannot  inherit  the  promise  of  His 
coming  until  the  armor  is  given  of  God  to 
those  who  overcome. 

In  the  message  to  the  church  at  Sardis 
we  read,  **He  that  overcometh  shall  thus  be 
arrayed  in  white  garments;  and  I  will  in  no 
wise  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the  book  of 
life,  and  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my 
Father,  and  before  His  angels."  Again  we 
can  see  these  promises  fulfilled  in  these  two 
witnesses,  for  they  overcame  in  their  faith- 
ful service  to  Chrise  in  doing  the  works 
required  to  inherit  the  above  promises 
(Rev.  3:1-6). 

In   the   message  to   the   angel   of  the 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  193 

church  at  Philadelphia  we  read,  "I  come 
quickly:  hold  fast  that  which  thou  hast, 
that  no  one  take  thy  crown.  He  that  over- 
cometh,  I  will  make  him  a  pillar  in  the 
temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  out 
thence  no  more:  and  I  will  write  upon  him 
the  name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the 
city  of  my  God,  the  new  Jerusalem,  which 
Cometh  down  out  of  heaven  from  my  God, 
and  mine  own  new  name."  Can  we  not  see 
these  promises  fulfilled  in  the  two  wit- 
nesses? Were  they  not  made  pillars  in  the 
temple  (Church)  of  God  in  their  mission 
on  earth?  And  does  not  their  resurrection 
from  death  and  their  ascension  into  heaven 
show  that  God's  names  were  written  upon 
them?  Christ  received  a  new  name  be- 
cause He  died  for  others  (Phil.  2:5-11). 
So  these  two  witnesses  received  Christ's 
new  name  to  rule,  because  they  were  con- 
formed in  the  likeness  of  His  death.  They 
overcame  to  hold  fast  the  word  and  the 
faith  of  Christ  and  therefore  inherited  the 
promises  given  to  the  overcomer  as  in  the 
church  at  Philadelphia  (Rev.  7:11-13). 


194  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

In  the  message  to  the  church  at  Lao- 
dicea  we  read,  "He  that  overcometh,  I  will 
give  to  him  to  sit  down  with  me  in  my 
throne,  as  I  also  overcame  and  sat  down 
with  my  father  in  his  throne."  Is  it  not 
very  plain  to  us  when  we  look  at  the  mis- 
sion of  those  two  witnesses  that  they  over- 
came just  as  Christ  did.  It  is  said  of  them 
that  they  finished  the  testimony  over  the 
whole  earth  in  three  and  one-half  years. 
As  Christ  said,  "I  have  finished  the  work 
which  thou  gavest  me  to  do."  They  over- 
came indeed  the  terrible  condition  in  the 
Church  as  at  Laodicea  (Rev.  3:14-22)  and 
bought  of  Christ  gold  purified  in  the  fire  to 
become  rich,  and  white  garments,  and  eye- 
salve,  and  therefore  the  promise  to  sit  on 
Christ's  throne  was  sealed  to  them. 

We  may  well  look  to  Rev.  12:1-5  to  see 
the  mother  of  these  overcomers  and  of 
these  two  witnesses.  The  two  witnesses  of 
Christ  are  taken  out  of  Israel  and  the, 
heathen  as  seen  in  Rev.  7.  The  Scripture 
also  says,  ''Israel  is  my  son,  my  first  born" 
(Ex.  4:22)  but  God  gets  a  second  son  out 


THE    BOOK    OFr;  REV-ELATION 


195 


of:  the  Gentilesr  So  we  judge  that  these 
two.  witnesses  in  Rev.  11  are  a  number  of 
overcomers  taken  out  of  Israel  and  of  the 
other  nations  in  the  world. 

The  Seventh  or  Last  Trumpet 

Rev.  11:14-19.  The  second  Woe  is  past:  be- 
hold, the  third  Woe  cometh  quickly.  15  And  the 
seventh  angel  sounded ;  and  there  followed  great 
voices  in  heaven,  and  they  said. 

The  kingdom  of  the  world  is  become  the  king- 
dom  of   our  Lord,   and  of   his   Christ :    and  he 
shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 
16  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  who  sit  befgre 
God    on    their    thrones,    fell    upon    their    faces    and 
worshipped  God,   17  saying. 

We  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord  God,  the  Al- 
mighty, who  art  and  who  wast;  because  thou 
hast  taken  thy  great  power,  and  didst  reign.  18 
And  the  nations  were  wroth,  and  thy  wrath 
came,  and  the  time  of  the  dead  to  be  judged, 
and  the  time  to  give  their  reward  to  thy 
servants  the  prophets,  and  to  the  saints,  and  to 
them  that  fear  thy  name,  the  small  and  the 
great;  and  to  destroy  them  that  destroy  the 
earth. 
19  And  there  was  opened  the  temple  of  God  that  is 


196  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

in  heaven;  and  there  was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark 
of  his  covenant;  and  there  followed  lightnings,  and 
voices,  and  thunders,  and  an  earthquake,  and  great 
hail. 

Notice  that  upon  the  sounding  of  the 
seventh  trumpet  the  kingdom  of  the  world 
is  delivered  over  to  God  and  Christ  and  He 
shall  reign  forever  and  ever.  Notice  again 
that  now  had  the  time  come  for  the  pro- 
phets and  saints  and  those  who  fear  God, 
the  small  and  the  great  to  receive  their 
reward,  and  for  the  dead  to  be  judged. 
TJie  sounding  of  this  seventh  trumpet  cor- 
responds with  what  the  apostle  Paul  says  in 
I  Cor.  15:52  when  the  last  trumpet  shall 
sound.  "For  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and 
the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and 
we  shall  be  changed."  Remember  then 
what  we  have  said  before,  that  that  which 
is  prophesied  here  in  Rev.  11  and  12  takes 
place  before  Christ  comes  to  take  His 
bride,  for  her  mission  is  not  yet  finished. 
Notice  also  in  the  above  passage  how  these 
twenty-four  elders  are  connected  with  us  in 
this  work,  that  the  kingdom  of  the  world  be 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  197 

turned  over  to  God.     Oh,  how  they  give 
God  thanks  and  fall  on  their  faces  to  wor- 
ship Him,  because  He  took  the  kingdom, 
and   because   He   will    destroy   them    that 
corrupt  the  earth.     They  greatly  rejoiced 
because   the   time    has   come    for   God   to 
reward  all  of  His  servants.    Notice  that  the 
temple  of  God  is  opened  and  the  ark  of  His 
covenant  is  seen.     We  saw  in  chapters  4 
and  5  how  heaven  was  opened  and  we  saw 
God  on  the  throne,  we  also  saw  twenty-four 
elders   on    twenty-four   thrones   with    four 
living    creatures    serving    God    for    us    in 
heaven   taking  no   rest  day  and  night   in 
worshiping  Him.     But  here  in  chapter  1 1 : 
19   we    read   that   the   temple    of   God    is 
opened  in  heaven  and  the  ark  of  His  cov- 
enant is  seen.     Not  only  is  heaven   open 
here,  but  the  temple  in  it  is  opened  to  us, 
and  we  are  favored  to  see  the  ark  of  His 
covenant.    Notice  how  these  things  connect 
us  with  the  shadow  of  the  things  in  Israel. 
They  had  an  ark  of  the  testimony.    There 
was  the  holy  place  in  the  tabernacle,  and 
then  there  was  another  place  of  still  greater 


198  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

holiness,  the  holy  of  holies  in  which  was 
the  afk  of  the  testimony  or  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  all  of  gold.  It  was  a  place 
only  for  the  high  priest  to  worship  once 
in  a  year.  In  the  ark  of  the  testimony 
were  the  ten  commandments,  Aaron's  rod 
that  had  budded,  and  a  little  of  the  manna 
which  they  ate  in  the  wilderness.  On  the 
top  of  the  ark  was  the  mercy  seat  and 
above  it  the  cherubims  with  their  out- 
stretched wings  covering  the  whole  ark. 
That  was  the  shadow  of  what  we  now  have 
in  heaven  in  which  our  High  Priest,  Jesus 
Christ,  does  minister  unto  God  in  our  be- 
half. The  ark  of  the  covenant  is  also  Christ 
who  has  the  law  of  God  in  His  heart  and 
who  is  all  of  gold,  so  to  speak.  He  is  our 
High  Priest  who  was  dead  and  is  alive  for- 
evermore.  He  is  the  hidden  manna.  He  is 
also  our  Mercy  Seat  and  abides  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Almighty.  He  is  revealed 
to  us  in  His  present  glorified  state  in  Rev. 
1:13-18.  He  serves  God  in  the  temple 
which  is  in  heaven  for  us.  We  are  to  see 
Him  with  our  spiritual  eyes.    The  veil  must 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  199 

be  taken  away,  so  that  His  face  which 
shines  like  the  sun  in  His  strength  may 
shine  upon  us,  as  the  apostle  says,  "But 
we  all,  with  unveiled  face  beholding  as  in  a 
mirror  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  trans- 
formed into  the  same  image  from  glory  to 
glory,  even  as  from  the  Lord  the  Spirit" 
(II  Cor.  3:18).  Seeing  it  is  God,  that  said, 
"Light  shall  shine  out  of  darkness,  who 
shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ"  (II  Cor.  4:6),  it  de- 
pends very  much  upon  what  we  look  and 
on  what  we  think  in  order  to  live  and  bear 
fruit  for  God.  It  depended,  indeed,  very 
much  upon  what  object  the  Israelites  look- 
ed when  they  were  bitten  by  the  fiery 
serpents.  If  they  failed  to  look  upon  the 
object  of  life,  the  brazen  serpent  which 
typified  Christ,  they  would  have  died. 
Christ  is  revealed  to  us  on  the  cross  where 
we  must  look  with  faith  to  see  our  sins 
removed,  but  we  must  also  look  at  Christ 
in  His  glorified  state  in  the  temple  of  God 
in  heaven.    But  praise  His  holy  name,  and 


200  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

glory  be  to  the  Father  in  heaven  that  what 
is  still  greater  than  our  looking  up,  is  His 
looking^  down  upon  us  if  we  believe  on 
Him  as  the  Scripture  says.  "I  will  counsel 
thee  with  mine  eye  upon  thee."  "For  the 
eyes  of  Jehovah  run  to  and  fro  throughout 
the  whole  earth  to  show  himself  mighty  in 
the  behalf  of  them  whose  heart  is  perfect 
toward  him"   (Psa.  32:8;  II  Chron.   16:9). 


CHAPTER  XII 

WAR  IN  HEAVEN— THE  DEVIL 
DEFEATED 

Rev.  12:1-6.  And  a  great  sign  was  seen  in 
heaven:  a  woman  arrayed  with  the  sun,  and  the 
moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of 
twelve  stars ;  2  and  she  was  with  child ;  and  she 
crieth  out,  travailing  in  birth,  and  in  pain  to  be 
delivered.  3  And  there  was  seen  another  sign  in 
heaven:  and  behold,  a  great  red  dragon,  having 
seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  heads  seven 
diadems.  4  And  his  tail  draweth  the  third  part  of 
the  stars  of  heaven,  and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth: 
and  the  dragon  standeth  before  the  woman  that  is 
about  to  be  delivered,  that  when  she  is  delivered  he 
may  devour  her  child.  5  And  she  was  delivered  of 
a  son,  a  man  child,  who  is  to  rule  all  the  nations 
with  a  rod  of  iron:  and  her  child  was  caught  up 
unto  God,  and  unto  his  throne.  6  And  the  woman 
fled  into  the  wilderness,  where  she  hath  a  place 
prepared  of  God,  that  there  they  may  nourish  her  a 
thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore  days. 

Great  and  wonderful  things  to  our  joy 
are  being  revealed  to  us  in  this  twelfth 
chapter  of  Revelation.    The  servant  of  God 


202  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

is  encouraged  to  see  in  heaven  the  mother 
Church  of  the  overcomers.  Victory  for 
the  Church  on  earth  through  this  woman 
who  is  with  child  and  is  crying,  travailing 
and  in  pain  to  be  delivered.  She  gives 
birth  to  a  son,  a  man-child  (a  company  of 
overcomers  consisting  only  of  the  men  class 
See  I  Cor.  14:34-37  and  I  Tim.  2:12-15.  In 
a  worldly  war  men  are  taken  to  lay  down 
their  life  for  their  country  and  not  the 
women).  This  one  is  to  rule  all  the  nations 
with  a  rod  of  iron  and  the  child  is  caught 
up  to  God  and  His  throne.  Who  may  this 
mysterious  son  be?  Are  there  any  prom- 
ises that  such  a  son  might  be  born  out  of 
the  Church  on  earth  who  was  to  have  an 
iron  rod  and  have  the  power  over  the  na- 
tions? Yes.  Let  us  repeat  the  promise 
made  by  Christ  to  the  Church  in  Thyatira, 
"And  he  that  overcometh,  and  he  that  keep- 
eth  my  words  unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I 
give  authority  over  the  nations:  and  he 
shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  as  the 
vessels  of  the  potter  are  broken  to  shivers: 
as  I  also  have  received  of  my  Father:  and  I 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  203 

will  give  him  the  morning  star.  He  that 
has  an  ear  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  says 
to  the  churches"  (Rev.  2:26-29).  Oh,  do 
we  indeed  hear  what  the  Spirit  says  to  the 
Churches?  Do  we  read  these  words  and  do 
we  keep  them  for  us?  Do  we  keep  them  so 
that  they  can  be  fulfilled  on  us  and  through 
us  or  do  we  put  them  from  us  unto  a  future 
generation?  If  the  future  generations  do  it 
likewise,  when  will  they  be  fulfilled?  The 
above  passage  shows  us  that  Christ  Himself 
has  made  this  conditional  promise  to  His 
Church;  that  He  would  arm  the  overcomer 
with  an  iron  rod  and  give  him  the  same 
authority  over  the  nations  as  He  Himself 
had  received  of  His  Father.  The  promise 
of  such  a  son  as  revealed  to  us  in  Rev.  12:5 
is  therefore  made  to  the  Church  of  Christ 
on  earth.  Out  of  the  Church  will  God 
bring  forth  such  a  man-child.  We  see  this 
son  or  man-child  in  the  two  witnesses  of 
Rev.  11  for  they  have  an  iron  rod  to  smite 
the  earth  and  have  authority  over  all  na- 
tions until  their  testimony  is  finished.  Then 
they  are  killed  by  the  Antichrist  and  are 


204  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

taken  up  to  God  with  the  cloud.  How  plain 
it  is  that  the  Church  is  to  be  lifted  up  to 
this  honor,  to  the  glory  of  her  Master.  It 
is  therefore  very  harmful  to  be  in  ignor- 
ance about  this  man-child,  as  to  who  he  is 
and  out  of  what  people  he  comes.  Many 
very  dear  brethren  who  are  servants  of  God 
and  who  are  bringing  much  fruit  in  God's 
vineyard,  have  taught  that  this  man-child 
is  Christ,  and  that  this  woman  in  Rev.  12:1- 
6  is  Israel.  We  all  need  purging  as  branches 
of  the  vine  Jesus  Christ,  and  we  are  very 
thankful  to  the  Savior  for  His  comforting 
words,  "And  every  branch  that  beareth 
fruit  he  (the  Father)  cleanseth  it  that  it 
may  bear  more  fruit"  (John  15:2).  There- 
fore He  will  also  cleanse  us  from  all  ignor- 
ance about  this  man-child,  whether  it  be 
Christ  or  some  one  else.  May  the  blessed 
Spirit  of  truth  direct  us  in  writing  and 
reading.  May  He  be  upon  the  writer  now 
and  upon  the  reader  afterwards. 

How  could  this  man-child  be  Christ 
when  he  is  brought  forth  after  Christ 
opened    the    seven    seals    of    that    book? 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  205 

Through  Christ's  present  work  in  heaven  to 
lift  up  His  Church  and  through  the  prayer 
and  travailing  works  of  the  woman  or  moth- 
er-church in  heaven  he  is  brought  forth  out 
of  the  Church  on  earth,  until  he  is  caught  up 
to  God  and  unto  His  throne.  Will  Christ 
offer  promises  to  His  Church  as  we  have 
seen  in  the  seven  messages  in  Rev.  2  and  3 
with  conditions  that  she  will  never  be  able 
to  fulfill?  Should  He  give  her  a  work 
which  she  is  unable  to  do?  That  would  be 
unreasonable.  To  our  joy  He  reveals  us 
the  overcoming  Church  in  heaven,  who  is 
clothed  in  the  sun  (the  Gospel  of  Christ) 
and  has  the  moon  (the  law)  under  her  feet 
and  she  brings  forth  this  man-child.  It  is 
for  our  encouragement  that  heaven  is 
opened  to  us,  that  we  may  be  connected 
with  the  overcoming  powers  of  God  through 
whom  the  devil  is  defeated.  Before  the 
Spirit  shows  us  this  woman  in  Rev.  12:1-6 
He  showed  us  first  the  overcomer,  Jesus 
Christ,  in  chapter  5  who  alone  was  found 
worthy  to  open  that  book  in  order  to  bring 
us  into  His  kingdom.     He  must  first  open 


206  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

the  seven  seals  of  that  sealed  book,  before 
we  can  receive  the  little  open  book  (which 
he  has  opened)  to  eat  up  and  to  understand. 
We  must  believe  that  He  opened  it  or  else 
it  will  always  remain  a  sealed  book  to  us. 
Since  He  opened  evpry  seal  on  it,  and  gives 
the  same  to  us  to  eat  up  in  order  to  prophe- 
sy it  to  the  people  therefore  is  also  this 
passage  opened  to  us,  about  the  mystery  of 
this  man-child  in  Rev,  12:5,  that  it  cannot 
be  Christ  but  rather  a  chosen  number  of 
overcomers  out  of  His  Church  on  earth 
consisting  of  the  men  class  only. 

When  Christ  arose  from  the  dead 
"many  bodies  of  the  saints  that  had  fallen 
asleep  were  raised:  and  coming  forth  out  of 
the  tombs,  after  his  resurrection,  they  en- 
tered into  the  holy  city  and  appeared  unto 
many"  (Matt.  27:52,  53).  We  may  be  as- 
sured, beyond  any  doubt,  that  this  woman 
in  heaven  (Rev.  12:1-6)  is  of  these  resur- 
rected saints.  The  Father  in  heaven  must 
be  the  Father  of  this  woman  in  heaven  who 
is  clothed  in  the  sun.  But  He  brought  her 
iforth  out  of  the  dead  and  placed  her  in  this 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  207 

glorified  state  and  make  her  a  mother  of 
this  man-child,  through  the  death  and  res- 
urrection of  His  Son  Jesus  Christ.    So  she 

could  not  be  the  mother  of  Jesus,  but  it  is 
the  very  opposite.  Jesus  is  her  Creator. 
She  belongs  to  the  first  fruits  of  His  death 
and  resurrection  labors.  It  is  probably  very 
true  that  she  is  of  Israel,  but  it  is  altogether 
an  error  that  she  is  the  mother  of  Christ. 
Lord,  we  thank  thee  that  all  our  sins  of  ig- 
norance are  under  the  blood  of  Jesus:  and 
thou  dost  not  remember  them  against  us. 
Because  thou  hast  given  us  faith  in  thy  Son 
and  the  faith  in  thy  Son  is  accepted  of  thee 
as  our  righteousness;  thou  wilt  pass  over 
us,  and  over  all  our  brethren,  who  have 
erred  in  teaching,  when  thou  seest  the 
blood,  or  our  faith  in  the  blood.  So  that 
thy  judgments  of  wrath  will  not  harm  us 
but  the  multitudes  of  thy  mercies  rule  over 
us  and  over  all  our  brethren.  Amen  and 
amen.  We  could  never  and  never  overcome 
to  do  the  yet  needful  works  to  fully  prepare 
the  way  for  Christ  to  come,  unless  this  wo- 
man in  heaven  in  Rev.  12:1-6  has  become 


208  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

our  mother.  The  apostle  Paul  in  Gal.  4:26 
says — "But  the  Jerusalem  that  is  above  is 
free,  which  is  our  mother." 

But  we  see  also  a  great  red  dragon  in 
heaven  on  the  watch  to  eat  up  this  man- 
child  as  soon  as  it  is  born.  But  thanks  be 
to  God  he  shall  utterly  fail  to  do  it.  God 
protects  the  child.  It  is  taken  even  unto 
God's  throne.  Remember  how  this  dragon, 
the  devil,  tried  to  eat  up  Jesus  in  His  temp- 
tation in  the  wilderness,  when  he  showed 
Him  all  the  kingdoms  in  the  world  and  the 
glory  of  them  that  it  should  be  all  His,  if 
only  He  would  fall  down  and  worship  him. 
He  tried  to  make  out  of  God's  beloved  Son 
a  servant  of  his  by  giving  Him  honor  and 
glory.  Oh,  has  this  enemy  not  often  suc- 
ceeded in  robbing  servants  of  God  from 
their  holy  calling  and  giving  them  an  office 
of  honor  in  the  world?  And  all  their  talents 
of  usefulness  were  eaten  up  by  the  world. 
The  world  got  their  lives  for  their  own 
benefit.  Think  of  Moses,  what  a  wise  choice 
he  made,  and  then  think  of  prophet  Balaam, 
how  he  fell  into  the  devil's  snare  because  of 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  209 

the  desire  to  be  honored  by  king  Balak. 
This  dragon  has  great  glory  at  this  time,  for 
he  has  seven  diadems  upon  his  head:  and  he 
draweth  the  third  part  of  the  stars  in  heav- 
en and  casts  them  to  the  earth.  Yet  we  have 
this  comfort  that  he  shall  not  be  able  to  eat 
up  this  man-child  nor  to  harm  the  woman 
that  gave  birth  to  him.  Praise  God  for  this 
revelation.  God  has  a  place  for  the  woman 
in  the  wilderness  where  she  is  protected  and 
nourished  for  1260  days.  But  why  should 
she  flee  into  the  wilderness?  This  question 
will  be  answered  later  on  in  this  chapter. 

War  in  Heaven 

Rev.  12:7-12.  And  there  was  war  in  heaven: 
Michael  and  his  angels  going  forth  to  war  \vdth  the 
dragon;  and  the  dragon  warred  and  his  angels;  8 
and  they  prevailed  not,  neither  was  their  place 
found  any  more  in  heaven.  9  And  the  great  dragon 
was  cast  down,  the  old  serpent,  he  that  is  called  the 
Devil  and  Satan,  the  deceiver  of  the  whole  world; 
he  was  cast  down  to  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were 
cast  down  with  him.  10  And  I  heard  a  great  voice 
in  heaven,  saying, 

Now  is  come  the  salvation,  and  the  power,  and 


210  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the  authority  of 
his  Christ:  for  the  accuser  of  our  brethren  is 
cast  down,  who  accuseth  them  before  our  God 
day  and  night.  11  And  they  overcame  him 
because  of  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  because 
of  the  word  of  their  testimony;  and  they  loved 
not  their  life  even  unto  death.  12  Therefore 
rejoice,  O  heavens,  and  ye  that  dwell  in  them. 
Woe  for  the  earth  and  for  the  sea:  because  the 
devil  is  gone  down  unto  you,  having  great 
wrath  knowing  that  he  hath  but  a  short  time. 

To  understand  the  above  passage  bet- 
ter, the  reader  should  read  the  third  chapter 
in  Zechariah  and  Daniel  12:1-3.  Israel  could 
not  have  come  out  of  Babylon  if  the  angels 
of  God  had  not  been  warring  for  them 
against  their  enemies.  (See  Dan.  10:12,  13). 
All  the  help  that  Israel  received  of  the  an- 
gels was  given  to  them  mainly  for  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  promise  to  bring  in  Christ, — 
His  first  coming  as  Saviour  of  the  world. 
And  all  the  help  we  get  of  the  angels  now, 
in  the  above  passage,  is  mainly  for  the  ful- 
fillment of  the  other  great  promise, — the 
second  coming  of  Christ.  God  uses  His 
mighty  angels  to  conquer  the  devil,  as  ac- 


THE    BOOK    OF     REVELATION  211 

cuser  of  the  brethren  before  God;  yet  we 
must  also  overcome  him  through  the  means 
of  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  our  testimony 
of  Jesus,  and  our  lives  on  the  altar  to  die 
for  the  truth's  sake.  The  devil  has  a  right 
to  accuse  us  before  God  day  and  night,  as 
long  as  we  have  not  washed  our  garments 
and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  This  work  must  be  done  on  our  part 
according  as  it  is  prophesied — 'They  washed 
their  robes  and  made  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  lamb."  This  faith  in  Christ's 
blood  is  our  shield  against  the  devil's  darts 
and  against  his  accusing  power.  Because 
the  Holy  Spirit  puts  the  blood-washed  gar- 
ment on  us  and  covers  us  with  the  robe  of 
Christ's  righteousness.  Thus  we  are  made 
ready  for  the  coming  of  Christ  and  for  His 
kingdom  to  come.  ''Behold,  I  have  caused 
thine  iniquity  to  pass  from  thee,  and  I  will 
clothe  thee  with  rich  apparel"  (Zech.  3:4). 
Therefore  is  the  devil  defeated  in  his  accu- 
sation, for  we  are  righteous  before  God  in 
the  work  of  Christ.  We  have  become 
obedient  to  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  We  have 


212  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

been  obedient  to  the  testimony.  We  took 
the  cross  upon  us  to  die  for  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Therefore  the  angels  in  heaven  take; 
up  the  battle  against  the  accuser  for  us  to 
cast  him  out  of  heaven.  This  war  is  not 
fought  by  us  or  by  any  saints  in  heaven, 
but  by  Michael  and  his  angels  for  all  the 
saints.  The  devil's  power  is  defeated;  he 
must  leave  his  place  in  heaven.  He  has  yet 
a  little  time  on  earth  given  to  him  to  rule 
until  he  must  leave  the  earth  also  for  ever 
and  ever  as  we  shall  see  in  the  following 
chapters.  O  Brother,  is  thy  faith  anchored 
in  the  overcoming  powers  in  heaven?  God 
help  us  to  be  strong  in  the  Lord  according 
as  we  are  taught  in  Eph.  6:10,  11.  "Finally, 
be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  strength 
of  His  might.  Put  on  the  whole  armor  of 
God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  stand  against 
the  wiles  of  the  devil." 

Rev.  12:13-17.  And  when  the  dragon  saw  that 
he  was  cast  down  to  the  earth,  he  persecuted  the 
woman  that  brought  forth  the  man  child.  14  And 
there  were  given  to  the  woman  the  two  wings  of  the 
great  eagle,  that  she  might  fly  into  the  wilderness 
unto  her  place,  where  she  is  nourished   for  a  time. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  213 

and  times,  and  half  a  time,  from  the  face  of  the 
serpent.  15  And  the  serpent  cast  out  of  his  mouth 
after  the  woman  water  as  a  river,  that  he  might 
cause  her  to  be  carried  away  by  the  stream.  16  And 
the  earth  helped  'the  woman,  and  the  earth  opened 
her  mouth  and  swallowed  up  the  river  which  the 
dragon  cast  out  of  his  mouth.  17  And  the  dragon 
waxed  wroth  with  the  woman,  and  went  away  to 
make  war  with  the  rest  of  her  seed,  that  keep  the 
commandments  of  God,  and  hold  the  testimony  of 
Jesus : 

The  dragon  now  persecutes  the  woman 
that  brought  forth  the  man-child,  but  the 
woman  is  given  the  two  wings  of  the  great 
eagle  to  fly  in  the  wilderness.  Notice  that 
in  Rev.  12:6  it  is  said  of  the  woman  in 
heaven,  that  she  fled  into  the  wilderness 
where  she  had  a  place  prepared  of  God. 
So  it  is  said  in  the  14th  verse  of  the  woman 
on  earth  that  she  is  "flying  into  the  wilder- 
ness to  be  nourished  there  the  same  length 
of  time  as  the  one  in  the  sixth  verse.  (A 
part  of  Christ's  bride  is  in  heaven  and  the 
other  part  is  on  earth.  The  Church  on 
earth  has  helped  in  bringing  forth  the  man- 
child  for  he  is  born  out  of  the  Church  on 


214  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

earth,  but  the  woman  in  heaven  did  the  tra- 
vailing part.)  This  connects  us  again  with 
the  shadow  of  Israel's  history.  Looking  to 
the  shadow,  we  are  enabled  to  discern  the 
signification  of  the  woman  fleeing  into  the 
wilderness  from  the  face  of  the  serpent  and 
to  be  nourished  there  three  and  one-half 
years,  or  a  time  and  times  and  half  a  time. 
When  Israel  had  finished  her  work  in  Egypt 
they  were  led  by  the  cloud  into  the  wilder- 
ness, to  be  joined  to  the  Lord  there  at  Sinai 
and  to  be  prepared  there  for  their  future 
mission  in  Canaan.  The  wings  of  the  great 
eagle  here  in  Rev.  12:14  refer,  no  doubt.,  to 
the  cloud  that  shall  carry  us  to  the  Lord  in 
the  air.  (See. I  Thess.  4:17).  You  remem- 
ber how  Israel's  enemy,  Pharaoh,  came 
after  them  with  his  army  and  then  how  the 
Red  Sea  opened  her  mouth  and  swallowed 
the  whole  company  of  the  Egyptians.  But 
here  in  Rev.  12  it  says  that  the  earth  opened 
her  mouth  and  swallowed  the  river  which 
the  dragon  cast  out  of  his  mouth  against 
the  woman,  that  she  might  be  carried  away 
by  it.     King  Pharaoh  was  a  type  of  the 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  215 

dragon  here  in  Rev.  12.  He  and  his  army 
went  after  Israel  with  the  literal  war  weap- 
ons to  take  them  back  into  Egypt — in  other 
words,  to  join  them  back  to  Pharaoh  and 
their  service  in  Egypt,  and  thus  prevent 
them  from  being  joined  to  the  Lord  and  His 
service.  But  here  in  Rev.  12  the  dragon 
does  not  use  the  literal  sword  but  the  river 
which  he  casts  out  of  his  mouth.  What 
may  the  river  be,  but  the  many  false  doc- 
trines that  the  devil  spurts  out  of  the 
mouths  of  his  servants  today?  Is  not  the 
country  already  flooded  with  them?  It  is 
prophesied  by  Jesus  in  Matt.  24:24,  "For 
there  shall  arise  false  Christs,  and  false 
prophets,  and  shall  show  great  signs  and 
wonders;  so  as  to  lead  astray,  if  possible, 
even  the  elect."  This  is  probably  the  river 
that  the  dragon  cast  out  of  his  mouth, 
against  this  woman  in  Rev.  12,  that  she 
might  be  carried  away  by  the  stream.  But, 
praise  God's  Holy  name,  the  dragon  is  com^ 
pletely  defeated  in  all  his  hellish  effort.  God 
comes  to  her  rescue  and  she  is  carried  with 
the  great  eagle's  wings  to  her  place  to  be 


216  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

nourished.  In  brief,  Israel  was  led  into  the 
wilderness  to  be  married  to  God,  at  Mt. 
Sinai,  where  He  came  down  from  heaven  to 
receive  His  chosen  people  and  was  joined  to 
them  through  their  acceptance  of  His  law. 
The  law  of  God  which  they  accepted  was,  so 
to  say,  their  husband.  (See  Rom.  7:1-4). 
Israel  was  not  led  straight  through  from 
Egypt  to  Canaan,  but  it  was  a  roundabout 
way  and  that  roundabout  way  was  God's 
way,  as  we  read  in  Ex.  13:17,  18.  "A.nd  it 
came  to  pass,  when  Pharaoh  had  let  the 
people  go,  that  God  led  them  not  by  the  way 
of  the  Philistines,  although  that  was  near; 
for  God  said,  Lest  peradventure  the  people 
repent,  when  they  see  war,  and  they  return, 
to  Egypt:  But  God  led  the  people  about,  by 
the  way  of  the  wilderness  by  the  Red  Sea: 
and  the  children  of  Israel  went  up  armed 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.'*  They  were  not 
ready  to  take  in  the  kingdom  of  Canaan  yet. 
They  needed  the  training  in  the  wilderness; 
they  needed  God  and  His  law;  they  needed 
His  tabernacle  with  Aaron's  priesthood; 
they  needed  all  that  they  received  at  Mt. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  217 

Sinai,  where  they  tarried  about  a  year,  ac- 
cording to  God's  order.  God  gloriously  or- 
ganized them  there  for  His  dwelling  among 
them,  and  for  the  wars  in  Canaan.  All  this 
is  the  shadow  of  the  bride  or  Church  of 
Christ,  when  she  will  be  joined  to  Him  after 
she  is  taken  out  of  the  world  with  the 
clouds  to  meet  her  Lord  in  the  air.  Then 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  will  take 
place.  And  after  Christ  will  have  organized 
His  own  He  will  come  with  them  to  take  in 
the  kingdom  on  earth  with  His  saints. 
What  is  said  here  in  Rev.  12  is  more  fully 
revealed  in  chapters  19  and  20.  As  the 
journey  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt  and  through 
the  wilderness  into  Canaan,  is  the  shadow 
of  the  spiritual  life  of  the  individual  believ- 
er to  prepare  him  for  the  coming  of  Christ, 
so  is  this  same  journey  of  Israel,  again  a 
type  of  Christ's  coming  to  take  His  chosen 
people  out  of  the  world  and  to  take  them  to 
a  place  which  God  has  prepared  and  where 
the  devil  can  not  come.  Here  in  Rev.  12  is 
this  place  called  'wilderness,"  to  which  the 
woman  out  of  heaven  and  on  earth  flees  to 


218  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

be  nourished  for  a  specified  time— only 
three  and  one  half  years  (as  we  believe). 
But  why  should  it  say  'wilderness?"  So  as 
to  connect  us  with  Israel's  history;  for  by 
them  we  can  clearly  see  for  what  purpose  it 
was  so  and  what  took  place  there  between 
God  and  Israel.  Notice  how  the  apostle 
connects  the  experience  of  Israel  at  Mt. 
Sinai  with  our  experience  to  be  joined  to 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  to  the  coming  of  Christ 
(Heb.  12:18-29). 

According  to  verse  17  there  will  be  some 
true  believers  left  when  the  bride  of  Christ 
is  taken  away  who  were  not  ready  to  go 
along,  yet  they  kept  the  commandments  of 
God  and  held  the  testimony  of  Jesus.  They 
are  the  seed  of  the  woman,  but  in  some  way 
were  not  worthy  to  go  along,  or  according 
to  God's  foreknowledge,  it  was  His  will  that 
there  should  be  some  left.  The  dragon  is 
now  severely  vexing  them  for  he  is  wroth 
toward  the  woman  that  brought  forth  the 
man-child  which  he  could  not  eat  up,  though 
he  watched  for  it. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

THE  REIGN  OF  THE  ANTICHRIST 
AND  THE  FALSE  PROPHET 

Rev.  13:1-10.  And  he  stood  upon  the  sand  of 
the  sea.  And  I  saw  a  beast  coming  up  out  of  the 
sea,  having  ten  horns  and  seven  heads,  and  on  his 
horns  ten  diadems,  and  upon  his  heads  names  of 
blasphemy.  2  And  the  beast  which  I  saw  was  like 
unto  a  leopard,  and  his  feet  were  as  the  feet  of  a 
bear,  and  his  mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a  lion:  and 
the  dragon  gave  him  his  power,  and  his  throne,  and 
great  authority.  3  And  I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as 
though  it  had  been  smitten  unto  death;  and  his 
death-stroke  was  healed:  and  the  whole  earth 
wondered  after  the  beast;  4  and  they  worshipped 
the  dragon,  because  he  gave  his  authority  unto  the 
beast;  and  they  worshipped  the  beast,  saying,  Who 
is  like  unto  the  beast?  and  who  is  able  to  war  with 
him?  5  and  there  was  given  to  him  a  mouth  speak- 
ing great  things  and  blasphemies;  and  there  was 
given  to  him  authority  to  continue  forty  and  two 
months.  6  And  he  opened  his  mouth  for  blas- 
phemies  against   God,   to   blaspheme   his   name,   and 


220  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

his  tabernacle,  even  them  that  dwell  in  the  heaven. 
7  And  it  was  given  unto  him  to  make  war  with  the 
saints,  and  to  overcome  them:  and  there  was  given 
to  him  authority  over  every  tribe  and  people  and 
tongue  and  nation.  8  And  all  that  dwell  on  the 
earth  shall  worship  him,  every  one  whose  name  hath 
not  been  written  from  the  foundation  of  the  world 
in  the  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  that  hath  been  slain. 
9  If  any  man  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear.  10  If  any 
man  is  for  captivity,  into  captivity  he  goeth:  if  any 
man  shall  kill  with  the  sword,  with  the  sword  must 
he  be  killed.  Here  is  the  patience  and  the  faith  of 
the  saints. 

Since  the  woman  in  heaven  has  given 
birth  to  the  man-child  whom  God  shall  use 
to  fulfill  the  promise  of  Christ's  second  com- 
ing to  dethrone  Satan's  kingdom,  the  devil 
or  dragon  is  very  wroth.  He  is  now  cast  on 
the  earth  (Rev.  12:7-10  and  knows  that  he 
has  but  a  short  time.  But  this  short  time  is 
a  terrible  one  for  those  who  believe  on 
Christ.  It  is  a  very  trying  time  for  those 
who  will  hold  fast  to  the  commandments  of 
God.  The  dragon  now  works  to  get  his 
man,  the  Antichrist,  out  of  the  nations  (the 
sea)  in  the  world,  who  will  do  his  full  will. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  221 

He  gives  him  his  throne  and  great  power 
over  all  the  world.  As  Christ  got  his  two 
witnesses  and  the  man-child  out  of  His 
Church  to  obey  Him  fully,  so  Satan  gets  his 
two  servants  so  plainly  revealed  here  in 
Rev.  13.  In  Rev.  17:8  the  Antichrist  is 
described  thus:  "The  beast  that  thou  sawest 
was  and  is  not;  and  is  about  to  come  up  out 
of  the  abyss,  and  to  go  into  perdition."  It 
was  once  in  existence  in  the  person  of  king 
Pharaoh  of  Egypt  in  Moses'  time.  It  is  not 
now  in  existence  in  a  single  person  or  as  a 
great  head  having  "authority  over  every 
tribe  and  people  and  tongues  and  nation," 
but  it  is  about  (ready)  to  come  up  out  of 
the  sea  (out  of  the  nations  in  the  world). 
The  seed  of  the  tares  was  sown  long  ago 
and  it  is  even  now  in  a  fast  growing  condi- 
tion and  is  about  to  head  out.  Jesus  said 
about  the  good  seed  which  he  sowed  in  the 
hearts  of  His  people— "The  earth  beareth 
fruit  of  herself;  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear, 
then  the  full  grain  in  the  ear"  (Mark  4:28). 
This  developnient  is  also  true  of  the  Anti- 
christ.    The  Church  has,  up    to  this  time. 


222  LIGHT    AND    UFE    FROM 

not  brought  full  fruit  of  the'  seed  which 
Christ  and  His  apostles  have  sown.  Neither 
have  the  tares  that  the  enemy  sowed, 
already  in  the  apostles'  time,  come  to  -  the 
full  development.  The  Church  has  not  yeti 
brought  forth  thc^  man-child ;  neither  h^s 
wickedness  headed  out  in  the  Antichrist. 
But  it  is  near  at  hand.  The  saints  will  soon 
come  to  perfect  fruit  and  the  wicked  will 
soon  make  their  evil  works  full  and  becomq 
ripe  for  the  judgment.  The  Antichrist  is 
called  ''beasf  here  in  Rev.  13.  He  is 
described  in  II  Thess.  2:1-12  as  "man  of  sin/^ 
"son  of  perdition,"  "lawless  one."  He  is 
prophesied  in  Daniel  7  and  named  "little 
horn"  coming  out  of  the  fourth  kingdom^ 
which  is  the  Roman  kingdom.  God  showed 
unto  Daniel  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth 
which  were  to  appear  before  the  second 
coming  of  Christ  to  set  up  His  kingdom 
over  all  the  earth.  The  four  kingdoms  that 
God  revealed  to  Daniel  were,  the  Babylon- 
ian, the  Medo-Persian,  the  Macedonian  and 
the  Roman.  Out  of  the  Roman  kingdom 
the  Antichrist  will  come.     His  reign  ends 


THE     BOOK    OF    REVELATION  223 

with  the  coming  of  Christ  to  whom  the 
Jcingdom  is  given  forever  and  ever.  Since 
the  Antichrist  was  to  come  out  of  the 
fourth,  that  is,  the  Roman  kingdom,  and  his 
reign  would  end  with  the  coming  of  Christ, 
therefore  we  are  now  in  that  A,ntichristian 
Jcingdom,  though  not  yet  in  its  full  develop- 
ment. This  is  so  plain  that  any  one  who 
will  take  heed  to  the  prophecies  of  Daniel 
can  not  help  but  see  it.  For  any  intelligent 
person  who  has  read  or  heard  history  knows 
that  these  four  kingdoms — the  Babylonian 
the  Medo-Persian,  the  Macedonian,  and  the 
Roman  have  all  passed  away  in  the  last 
2,000  years:  and  we  also  know  beyond  all 
doubt  that  Christ  does  not  yet  reign  on 
earth,  on  the  throne  of  David,  as  prophesied 
by  prophets  and  apostles,  (Isa.  9:6,  7;  Acts 
15:  13-18).  Therefore  we  must  be  under 
the  reign  of  the  Antichrist's  spirit,  and  in 
liis  kingdom,  which  is  developing  rapidly 
into  a  great  head.  This  beast,  or  Antichrist, 
here  in  Rev.  13:1  is  more  fully  described  in 
Rev.  17:8-17  to  which  explanation  the  read- 
er may  turn  in  this  book  under  the  heading 


224  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

of  chapter  17.  This  Antichrist,  or  beast,  as 
we  have  him  revealed  to  us  in  Rev.  13:1-10 
and  in  the  prophecies  of  Dan.  7:24-27;  8: 
23-25  and  by  Christ  in  Matt.  24:24  and  in  II 
Thess.  2:1-12  is  a  wonderful  man  of  power, 
of  worldly  wisdom  and  dares  to  exalt  him- 
self above  the  God  of  heaven  in  blasphemy. 
He  is  greatly  admired  by  the  world.  ''And 
all  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  worship 
him,  whose  name  hath  not  been  written 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  in  the 
book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  that  hath  been 
slain."  He  gets  his  power  from  the  dragon 
"The  dragon,  devil,  gave  him  his  power  and 
his  throne  and  great  authority."  He  takes 
of  the  devil  wKat  was  offered  to  Christ  when 
tempted  by  Satan  in  the  wilderness  (Matt. 
4:8-10).  According  to  Rev.  13:3  he  has 
power  to  heal  a  death  stroke;  and  because 
of  this  scientific  power,  which  is  of  the  devil, 
"the  whole  earth  wondered  after  the  beast; 
and  they  worshipped  the  dragon  because 
he  gave  his  authority  unto  the  beast; 
and  they  worshipped  the  beast  saying:  Who 
is  like  unto  the  beast?   and  who   is  able 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  225 

to  war  with  him?"  The  people  on  earth 
who  have  refused  to  worship  God  and 
His  Christ  will  now  worship  the  dragon  (the 
devil)  and  his  man  (the  Antichrist).  The 
prophecy  of  Paul  is  being  fulfilled  here— 
''And  for  this  cause  God  sendeth  them  a 
working  of  error,  that  they  believe  a  lie: 
that  they  all  might  be  judged  who  believed 
not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unright- 
eousness" (II  Thess.  2:11,  12).  But  we  see 
to  our  comfort  that  the  time  of  his  ruling 
power  over  all  the  world  is  limited  to  42 
months.  In  verse  7  we  see  that  he  will  make 
war  with  the  saints  and  that  he  will  over- 
come them.  He  will  make  war  with  the  two 
witnesses  of  Christ  and  kill  them:  "And 
when  they  shall  have  finished  their  testi- 
mony, the  beast  (Antichrist)  that  cometh  up 
out  of  the  abyss  shall  make  war  with  them, 
and  overcome  them  and  kill  them"  (Rev. 
11:7).  This  reveals  to  us  that  the  two 
witnesses  in  Rev.  11  and  the  Antichrist  in 
Rev.  13  shall  live  and  rule  at  the  same  time. 
We  also  see  by  this,  that  through  the  Anti^ 
Christ,  the  needful  number  of  the  martyrs 


226  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

will  be  made  full,  and  that  the  evil  works  of 
the  wicked  will  also  be  made  full  by  the 
Antichrist,  so  that  the  coming  of  Christ  is 
made  ready  by  the  saints  and  by  the  wicked. 
The  saints  are  made  ready  for  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  and  the  wicked  are  made  ready 
for  the  judgment  of  Christ,  carried  out  ir 
Rev.  19:11-21;    20:1-6. 

Let  us  yet  notice  in  this  passage  of  Rev. 
13:8-10  a  few  things:  First,  that  all  those 
who  dwell  on  the  earth,  who  have  not  their 
names  written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the 
Lamb,  shall  worship  the  beast  (Antichrist). 
Oh,  how  important  then  to  have  our  names 
written  in  that  book,  which  is  done  by  God, 
upon  our  faith  in  Christ  and  baptism  (See 
Acts  2:37-39  and  16:29-34).  "If  any  man 
hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear.  If  any  man  is  for 
captivity,  into  captivity  he  goeth:  if  any 
man  shall  kill  with  the  sword,  with  the 
sword  must  he  be  killed.  Here  is  the  pa- 
tience and  the  faith  of  the  saints."  The 
captivity  meant  here  is  undoubtedly  to  be 
subject  to  the  beast.  The  beasf  s  weapon  is 
the  sword;  the  sword  is  mentioned  to  desig- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  227 

nate  the  beast's  armor.  One  who  will  sub- 
mit to  carry  the  sword  in  honor  to  the  beast 
must  be  killed  with  the  sword.  See  in  Rev. 
19:21  how  all  those  who  carried  the  sword 
in  honor  to  the  beast  were  killed  by  another 
sword  which  is  the  Word  of  God.  Christ 
has  forbidden  us  to  use  the  sword. 

Rev.  13:11-18.  And  I  saw  another  beast  com- 
ing up  out  of  the  earth;  and  he  had  two  horns  like 
unto  a  lamb,  and  he  spake  as  a  dragon.  12  And  he 
exerciseth  all  the  authority  of  the  first  beast  in  his 
sight.  And  he  maketh  the  earth  and  them  that  dwell 
therein  to  worship  the  first  beast,  whose  death-stroke 
was  healed.  13  And  he  doeth  great  signs,  that  he 
should  even  make  fire  to  come  down  out  of  heaven 
upon  the  earth  in  the  sight  of  men.  14  And  he 
deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  by  reason  of 
the  signs  which  it  was  given  him  to  do  in  the  sight 
of  the  beast;  saying  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth, 
that  they  should  make  an  image  to  the  beast  who 
hath  the  stroke  of  the  sword  and  lived.  15  And  it 
was  given  unto  him  to  give  breath  to  it,  even  to  the 
image  of  the  beast,  that  the  image  of  the  beast 
should  both  speak,  and  cause  that  as  many  as  should 
not  worship  the  image  of  the  beast  should  be  killed. 
16  And  he  causeth  all,  the  small  and  the  great,  and 
the  rich  and  the  poor,  and  the  free  and  the  bound, 


228  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

that  there  be  given  them  a  mark  on  their  right  hand, 
or  upon  their  forehead;  17  and  that  no  man  should 
be  able  to  buy  or  to  sell,  save  he  that  hath  the  mark, 
even  the  name  of  the  beast  or  the  number  of  his 
name.  18  Here  is  wisdom.  He  that  hath  under- 
standing, let  him  count  the  number  of  the  beast;  for 
it  is  the  number  of  a  man;  and  his  number  is  Six 
hundred  and  sixty  and  six. 

This  beast,  or  as  he  is  also  called,  "false 
prophet,"  is  a  religious  power.  He  has  two 
horns  like  a  lamb,  but  speaks  as  a  dragon: 
in  one  way  resembling  Christ,  but  his  words 
are  like  a  dragon.  What  can  this  power  be, 
but  the  heading  out  of  the  nominal  Church 
that  goes  by  the  name  of  Christ,  but  has  not 
the  spirit  of  Christ  and  uses  the  carnal 
weapon,  the  sword.  That  is  the  way  the 
dragon  speaks.  Christ's  doctrine  is  a  doc-^ 
trine  of  non-resistance.  He  calls  men  to 
Him  by  an  invitation,  "Come."  "Whoso- 
ever will,  let  him  come."  The  voice  of  the 
dragon  is — "You  must  be  submissive  to  me, 
I  will  compel  you,  or  kill  you."  This  false 
prophet,  or  beast,  out  of  the  earth,  is  joined 
to  the  A,ntichrist.  The  Antichrist  is,  so  to 
say,  the  husband,  or  honored  master  and 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  229 

king  of  this  false  prophet  or  Church.  He 
joins  all  people  to  the  first  beast,  Antichrist; 
but  none  to  Christ.  He  severs  them  from 
Christ  and  brings  them  under  the  name  and 
authority  of  the  Antichrist.  This  false 
prophet  does  for  the  Antichrist  what  the 
Church  does  for  Christ.  The  Church  has 
the  commission  to  "make  disciples  of  all 
nations,  baptising  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit: 
teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatso- 
ever I  have  commanded  you"  (Matt.  28:18- 
20).  This  false  prophet  does  the  very  op- 
posite, severing  the  people  from  God  and 
joining  them  to  the  Antichrist.  Instead  of 
the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit  it  is  the  name  of  the  beast,  the  mark 
or  the  number  of  his  name.  Apart  from  the 
devil,  these  two  beasts,  are  Christ's  greatest 
enemies.  Both  occupy  a  place  that  belongs 
to  Christ  and  His  Church.  Their  final  judg- 
ment is  very,  very  great.  They  are  not  per- 
mitted to  die,  or  even  be  killed,  but  are  cast 
alive  into  the  lake  of  fire  as  revealed  in  Rev. 
19:19,  20.    This  second  beast  in  Rev.  13  is 


230  UGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

foreshadowed  in  Israel's  history  by  the  sor- 
cerers in  Egypt  with  Pharaoh  against  Israel. 
It  is  foreshadowed  in  the  false  prophets  with 
king  Ahab  against  the  prophets  of  the  Lord. 
These  false  prophets  who  were  punished 
with  a  lying  spirit  from  God,  were  not  of  the 
heathen  nations,  but  they  came  out  of 
Israel.  (See  I  Kings  22:13-23).  They  were 
of  the  circumcised  people,  but  they  were  not 
of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  which  had  been  chosen 
of  God  for  His  priests.  They  severed  Israel 
from  the  law  of  Moses  and  joined  them  to 
the  worship  of  Baal  and  of  the  nations. 
The  Church  of  Christ  meets  with  the  same 
enemies  as  Israel  did.  When  Israel  was  in 
captivity  they  were  compelled  to  worship  the 
golden  image  of  the  king  of  Babylon  or  be 
thrown  into  the  fiery  furnace.  Daniel  was 
compelled  to  pray  to  the  king  of  the  Persian 
kingdom  or  be  cast  into  the  lion's  den.  But 
these  faithful  Jews  stood  the  test  to  disobey 
His  commandment.  These  things  were  al- 
lowed of  God  to  come  upon  them  in  order  tc 
try  them;  and  through  their  steadfastness  ir 
overcoming  God  was  greatly  honored.    Be- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  231 

cause  when  they  came  out  of  the  lion's  den 
and  out  of  the  fiery  furnace,  the  kings  gave 
command  in  both  instances  for  their  whole 
kingdoms  to  fear  the  God  of  Israel.  The 
Lord  was  glorified  before  the  whole  world  at 
that  time  and  even  ever  since  (Dan.  3:26- 
30;  6:25-27).  The  enemies  of  God  and  of 
His  people  must  after  all  yet  serve  God  to 
make  His  saints  perfect  in  suffering.  The 
Antichrist  and  the  false  prophet  here  in 
Rev.  13  are  not  such  powers  that  the  saints 
of  Christ  can  not  get  completed  to  receive 
the  promise  of  Christ's  coming.  It  is  rather 
the  very  opposite.  The  Church  will  be 
made  perfect  in  the  suffering  of  Christ  (at 
least  as  to  the  number)  under  the  reign  of 
these  two  beasts  in  Rev.  13.  We  have  said 
before  that  Christ's  two  witnesses  in  chapter 
11  will  be  killed  by  the  beast  (Antichrist). 
Let  us  see  how  God  gets  glory  from  many  of 
His  and  their  enemies,  after  they  were 
taken  up  to  heaven  with  the  cloud  and  were 
seen  by  their  enemies.  "And  they  heard  a 
great  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  them, 
Come  up  hither.     And  they  went  up  into 


232  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

heaven  in  the  cloud;  and  their  enemies 
beheld  them.  And  in  that  hour  there  was  a 
great  earthquake,  and  the  tenth  part  of  the 
city  fell :  and  there  were  killed  in  the  earth- 
quake seven  thousand  persons:  and  the  rest 
were  affrighted  and  gave  glory  to  the  God 
of  heaven"  (Rev.  11:12,  13).  So  God  shal) 
receive  glory  of  many,  through  the  death 
and  resurrection  of  Christ's  witnesses. 
Therefore  all  that  is  revealed  in  Rev.  13  of 
the  enemies'  powers  must  finally  only  help 
to  punish  the  unbelievers  (II  Thess.  2:7-12) : 
and  to  finish  the  saints:  to  make  the  work  of 
the  wicked  full  and  to  bring  into  fulfillment 
the  coming  of  Christ.  The  Lord  will  permit 
this  beast  or  false  prophet  to  cause  fire  to 
come  down  from  heaven  in  the  sight  of  men 
and  to  do  great  signs  to  deceive  the  people. 
Why  does  God  allow  these  things  to  come? 
Because  these  people  on  earth  do  not  believe 
in  the  great  miracles  of  His  Son  and  His 
apostles  which  are  recorded  in  the  New 
Testament.  "Many  other  signs  therefore 
did  Jesus  in  the  presence  of  the  disciples, 
which  are  not  written   in  this  book:    but 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  233 

these  are  written,  that  ye  may  believe  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God;  and 
that  believing  ye  may  have  life  in  his  name" 
(John  20:30,  31).  The  lying  spirit  in  the 
false  teachers  does  not  profess  to  believe 
these  miracles  or  else  explains  them  in  a 
wrong  way.  Can  you  not  see  this  lying 
spirit  at  work  today?  Therefore  God  will 
send  them  great  signs  and  miracles  in  the 
false  prophet  and  they  will  believe  in  Him 
and  in  the  other  beast,  the  antichrist.  They 
will  worship  the  Antichrist  and  they  will 
even  worship  the  dragon,  the  very  devil. 
(See  II  Thess.  2:7-12  and  Rev.  13:4).  The 
false  prophet  in  Rev.  13:15  will  even  have 
power  to  give  breath  to  the  image,  which 
was  made  in  honor  to  the  first  beast,  and 
cause  the  image  to  speak  and  as  many  as 
will  not  worship  the  image  to  be  killed. 
All  this  is  sent  as  a  punishment  for  not 
believing  on  the  Son  of  God,  who  gives  life 
to  the  dead.  His  miracles  are  not  believed, 
but  made  a  lie  by  the  false  teachers  and 
therefore  the  false  prophet  is  permitted  to 
give  life  and  speech  and  power  to  this  image 


234  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

and  they  will  believe  this  prophet  and  his 
signs  to  their  condemnation.  Oh,  to  what  a 
danger  those  are  exposed  who  believe  not 
the  words  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
They  will  not  believe  the  truth  and  even 
make  the  truth  of  God  a  lie  in  their  teach- 
ing. Therefore  they  do  justly  deserve  such 
a  punishment  as  revealed  here  in  Rev.  13. 
"And  he  causeth  all,  the  small  and  great, 
and  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  free  and  the 
bond,  that  there  be  given  them  a  mark  on 
their  right  hand,  or  upon  their  forehead; 
and  that  no  man  should  be  able  to  buy  or  to 
sell,  save  he  that  hath  the  mark,  even  the 
name  of  the  beast  or  the  number  of  his 
name."  This  name,  or  mark,  or  number  of 
his  name,  is  the  seal,  by  which  those  people 
are  sealed  who  belong  to  the  beast  (Anti- 
christ) or  to  his  kingdom.  In  like  manner 
the  believer  in  Christ  is  sealed,  by  baptism 
of  water  and  spirit  in  the  name  of  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit;  and  we  saw  in 
chapter  7  that  the  servants  of  God  are  to  be 
sealed  with  God's  name  on  their  foreheads. 
God's  name  is  his  Word.    ''And  he  (Christ) 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  235 

is    arrayed    in    a    garment    sprinkled    with 
blood:  and  His  name  is  called  The  Word  of 
God"  (Rev.  19:13).    Therefore  the  servants 
of  God,   who   keep   the   Word,   have   that 
Word,  or  name  of  God  and  He  has  promised 
to  write  it  on  their  forehead  so  that  they 
can  think  of  the  name  or  Word  continually. 
But  this  name   is   also  the  seal   of  God's 
ownership:   that  this  person   is  sealed  for 
God  and  His  kingdom.    When  a  foreigner 
makes  application  to  become  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  he  is  asked  to 
accept  the  constitution  of  the  U.  S.  A.  and 
to  defend  it.    He  answers  with  yes,  but  he 
is  asked  to  do  this  under  an  oath,  or  affir- 
mation,   by    holding    up    the    right    hand. 
A.fter  this  is  done,  he  receives  a  new  name. 
He  is  now  called  an  American.    His  name 
is  put  on   record  as  an  American  citizen. 
The  oath  he  took  severs  him  from  Christ's 
commandment  which  strictly  forbids  the  use 
of  an  oath.    'Te  have  heard  that  it  was  said 
to  them  of  old  time.  Thou  shalt  not  for-, 
swear  thyself,  but  shalt  perform  unto  the 
Lord  thine  oaths:  but  I  say  unto  you,  Swear 


236  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

not  at  all;  neither  by  heaven,  for  it  is  the 
throne  of  God;  nor  by  the  earth,  for  it  is 
the  footstool  of  his  feet;  nor  by  Jerusalem, 
for  it  is  the  city  of  the  great  King.  Neither 
shalt  thou  swear  by  thy  head,  for  thou  canst 
not  make  one  hair  white  or  black.  But  let 
your  speech  be.  Yea,  yea;  Nay,  nay:  and 
whatsoever  is  more  than  these  is  of  the  evil 
one"  (Matt.  5:33-37).  "But  above  all  things, 
my  brethren,  swear  not,  neither  by  the 
heaven,  nor  by  the  earth,  nor  by  any  other 
oath:  but  let  your  yea,  be  yea,  and  your 
nay,  nay:  that  ye  fall  not  under  judgment" 
(James  5:12).  Not  to  swear  at  all  or  not  to 
get  under  any  oath  is  one  of  the  strongest 
commandments  in  the  laws  of  the  kingdom 
of  God.  Hence  no  one  but  the  spirit  of  the 
Antichrist's  kingdom  has  made  the  use  of 
the  oath  a  law  today.  The  oath  is  used  to 
seal  one  for  citizenship,  or  for  an  office;  to 
be  a  witness  in  court,  and  for  a  member  in 
a  secret  or  non-secret  society.  The  con- 
stitution of  the  society  must  be  accepted. 
As  a  rule  the  oath  is  taken  and  the  right 
hand  is  held  up.    There  are  business  socie- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  237 

ties  today  where  no  one  but  members  of 
that  society  can  buy  or  sell  goods  in  that 
particular  business.  All  these  organizations 
of  capitalists  and  laborers,  who  are  bound 
together  for  the  purpose  of  simply  protect-r 
ing  their  own  interests,  are  not  of  God's 
spirit,  which  says,  'Xove  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself."  "Not  looking  each  of  you  to  his 
own  things,  but  each  of  you  also  to  the 
things  of  others"  (Phil.  2:4).  The  spirit  of 
self  which  is  the  spirit  of  Antichrist  severs 
people  from  the  commandments  of  Christ 
and  His  apostles.  Through  the  devilish 
work  of  the  false  prophet  here  in  Rev.  13: 
16,  17  people  are  compelled  to  take  the 
name  of  the  beast  or  be  deprived  of  their 
living.  Dear  reader,  I  hope  that  through 
the  above  remark  the  Holy  Spirit  will 
cause  you  to  see  clearly  the  meaning  of  this 
prophecy  in  Rev.  13:16,  17.  God's  name  is 
God's  Word.  The  Antichrist's  name  is  his 
laws  which  he  makes  in  opposition  to  those 
of  Christ.  Those  who  accept  his  laws, 
receive  his  name.  The  oath  is,  so  to  say,  a 
seal  on  our  forehead.     We  can  not  forget 


238  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

it.  The  lifting  up  of  our  right  hand  is  also 
a  sign  which  is  more  than  yea,  yea  and  nay, 
nay,  and  therefore  of  the  evil,  as  Jesus  has 
said.  But  this  beast  has  also  a  number  for 
his  name,  "Here  is  wisdom.  He  that  hath 
understanding,  let  him  count  the  number 
of  the  beast;  for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man 
(not  of  an  angel) :  and  his  number  is  666'* 
What  may  this  number  be?  Could  it  not  be 
the  number  of  his  sub  rulers  in  his  kuig- 
dom,  who  are  placed  in  authority  over  the 
different  tribes,  peoples,  tongues  and  na- 
tions? Jesus  has  a  number  of  144,000 
who  bear  His  and  His  Father's  name  on 
their  foreheads,  as  seen  in  Rev.  14:1-5. 
They  are  a  multitude  of  overcomers  who 
follow  the  Lamb  withersoever  He  goeth. 
May  not  the  Antichrist  also  have  a  special 
number  of  666  who  obey  him  fully?  This 
beast  has  seven  heads  and  ten  horns.  The 
seven  heads  signify  seven  mountains  (king- 
doms) which  are  also  seven  kings,  and  the 
ten  horns  are  also  ten  kings;  then  there  are 
the  tribes,  peoples,  tongues,  and  nations 
over  which  he  rules. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  239 

King  Ahasuerus   ruled   over    127   pro- 
vinces.   It  did  not  matter  in  which  of  these 
provinces  one  was  a  citizen,  for  the  king  s 
name  was  upon  all.    So  in  the  Antichrist's 
kingdom,  it  will  not  make  any  difference  in 
which    country    one    is    a    citizen,    though 
there    should    be    666    subdivisions    of    his 
kingdom.    They  are  all  under  his  name,  at 
least  those  who  obey  in  taking  his  name. 
The  wicked  people  in  the  land  of  Canaan, 
when    Israel    took    it,    were    numbered    by 
seven  nations  or  seven  races  of  peoples;  but 
these  seven  peoples  were  subdivided  under 
31  kings.     It  is  not  forbidden  us  to  count 
this  number,  ddd,  the  name  of  the  beast,  but 
we  are  even  encouraged  to  count  it.    This 
Revelation  is  not  a  sealed  book,  we  are  to 
understand  it.    ''And  he  said  unto  me,  Seal 
not  up  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this 
book;  for  the  time  is  at  hand"  (Rev.  22:10). 
We    shall    know    the    Antichrist    fully    by 
counting  his  name  or  the    number    of    his 
name  which  is  666.    May  God's  Spirit  cause 
us  to  have  understanding  and  wisdom  so 
that  this  passage  in  Rev.   13:16-18  be  not 


240  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

sealed  to  us,  but  opened  for  our  benefit,  to 
escape  all  these  devilish  evils  and  to  hasten 
the  coming  of  Christ.  We  are  favored 
through  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God  to  add 
these  words  yet.  The  name  of  the  beast, 
the  number  and  the  mark,  signifies  owner- 
ship of  the  beast,  that  those  who  accept  the 
name,  mark  or  number  of  the  beast  are  now 
owned  by  the  beast  and  therefore  disowned 
by  Christ  and  God.  They  stand  now  in  the 
kingdom  of  the  Antichrist  who  has  received 
the  kingdom,  the  throne,  and  his  great 
authority  from  the  dragon,  the  devil.  Hence 
they  are  in  the  kingdom  of  the  devil  and  cut 
off  from  the  kingdom  of  God.  It  is  the 
same  with  those  who  are  sealed  with  God's 
name  on  their  foreheads.  This  also  denotes 
ownership  by  God.  They  are  now  owned 
by  God,  never  to  fall  away  from  Him  any- 
more. They  are  sealed  for  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  and  God.  They  accepted  God's  name 
i(Words),  sealed  on  their  foreheads  and 
refused  the  name,  mark,  and  number  of  the 
beast.  The  blessing  for  those  who  thus 
overcome  is  great.     We  see  them  singing 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  241 

the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb  on  the 
glassy  sea.  And  they  will  be  present  at  the 
first  resurrection  and  in  the  thousand  years' 
reign  with  Christ.  (See  Rev.  15:2-4  and 
Rev.  20:4-6).  But  great  must  be  the  pun- 
ishment of  those  who  worship  the  beast  or 
his  image  and  take  the  name  of  the  beast, 
mark  or  number  of  his  name.  They  are 
punished  with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the 
presence  of  the  holy  angels  and  the  Lamb 
and  the  smoke  of  their  torment  goeth  up  for 
ever  and  ever:  and  they  have  no  rest  day 
and  night.    (See  Rev.  14:9-12). 

We  may  add  this  thought  yet,  concern- 
ing the  words  of  the  Spirit  in  verse  18: — 
"Here  is  wisdom.  He  that  hath  under- 
standing, let  him  count  the  number  of  the 
beast;  for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man:  and 
his  number  is  dd&'' — that  this  counting  is 
probably  meant  to  be  done  after  the  beast 
has  appeared.  We  are  now  living  in  the 
Antichrist's  kingdom,  but  not  in  its  full 
development.  The  beast  and  the  false  pro- 
phet, as  they  are  described  to  us  here  in 
Rev.  13,  are  not  here  yet.    Neither  the  Anti- 


242  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Christ  nor  the  false  prophet  have  come  forth 
yet  as  a  personal  head.  But  the  spirit  of 
the  two  heads  is  here  and  is  working  fast  to 
bring  the  seed  of  wickedness  to  its  full  fruit 
soon.  This  counting  in  verse  18  can  prob- 
ably then  be  done  best  after  the  beast  and 
false  prophet  have  made  their  appearance 
according  as  they  are  revealed  to  us  here  in 
Rev.  13. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
THE  LAMB  ON  MT.  ZION 

Rev.  14:1-5.  And  I  saw,  and  behold,  the  Lamb 
standing  on  the  mount  Zion,  and  with  him  a  hundred 
and  forty  and  four  thousand,  having  his  name,  and 
the  name  of  his  Father,  written  on  their  foreheads. 
2  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  as  of  many 
waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great  trumpet:  and  the 
voice  which  I  heard  was  as  the  voice  of  harpers 
harping  with  their  harps :  3  and  they  sing  as  it  were 
a  new  song  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  four 
Hving  creatures  and  the  elders :  and  no  man  could 
learn  the  song  save  the  hundred  and  forty  and  four 
thousand,  even  they  that  had  been  purchased  out  of 
the  earth.  4  These  are  they  that  were  not  defiled 
with  women ;  for  they  are  virgins.  These  are  they 
that  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth.  These 
were  purchased  from  among  men,  to  be  the  first- 
fruits  unto  God  and  unto  the  Lamb.  5  And  in  their 
mouth  was  found  no  lie:    they  are  without  blemish. 

Remember  we  still  have  things  before 
us  that  must  take  place  before  Christ  comes 
to  take  His  bride  unto  Himself,  for  her 
mission    is   not   yet   done.     These    144,000 


244  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

have  yet  a  mission  to  fulfill  against  the 
beast  and  the  false  prophet  as  we  can  see  in 
this  chapter  14:9-12.  Therefore  the  mission 
of  these  144,000  takes  place  at  the  same 
time  that  the  two  beasts  in  chapter  13  reign. 
We  have  also  seen  that  the  two  witnesses  in 
chapter  11,  perform  their  mission  during 
the  reign  of  the  beast,  or  Antichrist,  for 
they  are  killed  by  him.  Therefore  it  is  very 
probable  that  these  144,000  and  the  two 
witnesses  are  of  the  same  people.  They  are 
purchased  out  of  the  earth  and  from  among 
men  for  a  special  mission.  They  follow  the 
Lamb  whithersoever  He  goeth:  they  are 
gifted  with  a  new  song  that  no  one  else  can 
learn.  They  bear  the  name  of  the  Son  and 
of  the  Father  on  their  foreheads.  They  are 
not  defiled  with  women  (the  nations  in  the 
world  are  called  women  and  such  Christian 
denominations  who  have  committed  adul- 
tery toward  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  have 
made  their  own  church  constitutions:  as 
Jesus  says  in  Mark  7:7,  8:  "But  in  vain  da 
they  worship  me,  teaching  as  their  doctrines 
the  precepts  of  men.     Ye  leave  the  com- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  245 

mandment  of  God  and  hold  fast  the  tradi- 
tion of  men."  They  are  married  or  joined 
to  another  law  than  that  of  Christ.  Ezek. 
16:41.  See  also  Rev.  2:18-25  and  I  Cor. 
1:10-13;  3:10-17).  These  144,000  are  in- 
deed overcomers  of  the  evils  in  the  church- 
es as  we  have  seen  in  Rev.,  chapters  2  and 
3.  ''In  their  mouth  was  found  no  lie.  They 
are  without  blemish."  They  are  probably 
also  of  those  who  eat  up  the  little  book 
which  we  saw  in  chapter  10:8-11,  for  we 
read  of  their  prophetic  mission  in  the  re- 
mainder of  this  chapter.  "These  were  pur- 
chased from  among  men,  to  be  the  first 
fruits  unto  God  and  unto  the  Lamb."  Since 
they  are  first-fruits,  they  must  appear  be- 
fore God  first  just  as  the  two  witnesses 
come  in  first  because  they  are  resurrected 
and  taken  up  to  heaven  immediately  after 
they  are  killed.  Where  do  these  144,000 
come  from?  Are  they  the  144,000  sealed 
ones,  out  of  all  tribes  of  Israel  as  revealed 
in  Rev.  7:1-8?  If  this  be  true,  then  the 
Christians  out  of  the  heathen  world  are  cut 
off  from  ever  becoming  members  with  them. 


246  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Let  us  stay  by  the  Word.  Where  does  this 
prophecy  say  they  are  from?  Does  it  say 
that  they  are  brought  out  of  Israel  directly? 
The  prophecy  here  in  Rev.  14:1-5  says, 
'These  were  purchased  from  amon^  men/' 
'They  that  had  been  purchased  out  of  the 
earth."  I  would  not  venture  to  explain  it 
any  other  way  than  what  the  Word  says 
itself.  Since  they  are  purchased  out  of  the 
earth  and  from  among  men  (not  saying, 
from  among  Israel)  therefore  it  may  include 
us  too.  The  fact  that  there  are  just  144,00Q 
sealed  out  of  all  tribes  of  Israel  in  chapter 
7  does  not  prove  that  this  other  number  in 
Rev.  14  is  the  same  people  for  then  it  would 
probably  read — *They  were  purchased  from 
among  Israel."  But  to  whom  is  the  promise 
of  the  kingdom  given?  To  a  people  out  of 
the  Gentiles  is  the  promise  given  by  Christ 
Himself.  After  the  Jews  had  rejected  Him. 
"Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  the  kingdom  of 
God  shall  be  taken  away  from  you,  and 
shall  be  given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the 
fruits  thereof"  (Matt.  21:43).  By  this 
statement  of  Christ  we  understand  that  it  is 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  247 

given  to  a  people  out  of  the  Gentiles  to 
inherit  Christ  at  His  second  coming.  Just 
as  Israel  was  chosen  and  used  of  God  to 
bring  Christ  into  the  world  at  His  first 
coming,  so  has  God  now  chosen  a  nation  of 
the  Gentiles  to  bring  into  fulfillment  His 
second  coming.  Israel  proved  herself  un- 
worthy in  not  accepting  Christ;  therefore 
has  God  now  chosen  a  nation  apart  from 
Israel  to  bring  about  His  second  coming. 
These  144,000  are  bringing  forth  the  fruits 
of  which  Jesus  spoke,  when  He  said  to  the 
Jews  that  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  be  taken 
away  from  them  and  given  to  a  nation 
bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof.  They  are 
without  blemish;  in  their  mouth  is  found 
no  lie,  because  they  have  accepted  the 
whole  doctrine  of  Christ  and  have  cleansed 
themselves  from  men*s  laws  which  side- 
tracks or  severs  one  from  Christ's  words: 
they  are  with  the  Lamb.  They  have  the 
Son's  and  the  Father's  name  on  their  fore- 
heads. They  are  not  of  the  women  for  they 
are  virgins,  promised  to  Christ.  They  are 
purchased  from  among  men,  out  among  the 


248  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

nations,  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  They  are 
not  defiled  with  women:  they  are  a  separ- 
ated company  fully  consecrated  to  Christ's 
service.  They  are  among  the  women  but 
not  of  them.  They  have  come  out  from 
them,  according  to  II  Cor.  6:14-18  and  Rev. 
18:4-6. 

They  have  come  out  of  Babylon,  and 
yet  they  are  in  the  midst  of  Babylon  to 
reprove  its  sins.  They  are  not  of  the  Chris- 
tian denominations  who  defiled  themselves 
with  human  names  and  made  division  in  the 
Church  of  God;  but  they  are  in  their  midst 
to  reprove  them  of  their  sins,  yet  they  love 
them  to  such  an  extent,  that  they  will  die  in 
their  stead  to  have  them  saved,  as  was  the 
apostle  Paul  according  to  Rom.  9:1-3.  They 
are  chosen  of  God  to  lay  down  their  lives 
for  their  defiled  brethren,  because  they 
follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth. 
"Hereby  know  we  love,  because  He  laid 
down  His  life  for  us:  and  we  ought  to  lay 
down  our  life  for  the  brethren"  I  John  3:16. 
This  scripture  is  being  fulfilled  on  these  144, 
000.     They  are  the  firstfruits — that  means 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  249 

after  this  the  full  harvest  will  be  brought 
before  God.  For  the  full  harvest  must  come 
as  well  as  the  first  fruits.  *'Who  shall  not 
fear,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name?  for 
thou  only  art  holy;  for  all  the  nations  shall 
come  and  worship  before  thee;  for  thy 
righteous  acts  have  been  made  manifest" 
(Rev.  15:4).  Since  they  are  the  firstfruit^ 
unto  God  and  the  Lamb  therefore  they 
must  be  the  bride  of  Christ,  (or  at  least  a 
part  of  His  bride) ;  for  it  is  His  bride  that  is 
used  to  suffer  with  Him.  She  is  trans- 
formed into  His  likeness  to  be  conformed 
unto  His  death  and  resurrection.  Let  us 
now  go  over  the  remainder  of  chapter  14  to 
learn  more  of  their  mission. 

Rev.  14:6-20.  And  I  saw  another  angel  flying 
in  mid  heaven,  having  eternal  good  tidings  to  pro- 
claim unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  unto 
every  nation  and  tribe  and  tongue  and  people ;  7 
and  he  saith  with  a  great  voice,  Fear  God,  and  give 
him  glory;  for  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come: 
and  worship  him  that  made  the  heaven  and  the  earth 
and  sea  and  fountains  of  waters. 

No  doubt  this  angel  is  the  same  one  as 
the  one  in  chapter  10  with  the  rainbow  on 


250  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

his  head  and  a  little  open  book  to  give  to 
God's  servants,  to  eat  it  up,  and  to  prophecy 
it  to  many  peoples  and  nations  and  tongues 
and  kings. 

8  And  another,  a  second  angel,  followed,  saying, 
Fallen,  fallen  is  Babylon  the  great,  that  hath  made 
all  the  nations  to  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of 
her   fornication. 

How  has  Babylon  now  fallen?  Be- 
cause these  144,000  are  used  of  God  to 
preach  the  eternal  good  tidings  of  Christ's 
Gospel  to  save  people  out  of  Babylon: 
and  they  also  preach  the  immediate  judg- 
ment upon  Babylon.  They  do  a  mission 
like  the  prophets  in  Israel  did,  when  Israel 
was  captive  in  Babylon.  The  prophets 
prophesied  good  tidings  of  deliverance  to 
all  tribes  of  Israel,  but  they  prophesied  the 
eternal  punishment  upon  Babylon  also. 

9  And  another  angel,  a  third,  followed  them, 
saying  with  a  great  voice,  If  any  man  worshippeth 
the  beast  and  his  irnage,  and  receiveth  a  mark  on  his 
forehead,  or  upon  his  hand,  10  he  also  shall  drink  of 
the   wine   of   the   wrath   of   God,   which   is   prepared 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  251 

unmixed  in  the  cup  of  his  anger;  and  he  shall  be 
tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence 
of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb: 
11  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment  goeth  up  for  ever 
and  ever;  and  they  have  no  rest  day  and  night,  they 
that  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  whoso 
receiveth  the  mark  of  his  name.  12  Here  is  the 
patience  of  the  saints,  they  that  keep  the  command- 
ments of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus.  13  And  I 
heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying.  Write,  Blessed 
are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth: 
yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labors;    for  their  works  follow  with  them. 

A  very  great  punishment  is  pronounced 
by  this  third  angel  upon  those  who  wor- 
shipped the  beast  or  his  image  or  accept  his 
mark.  This  angel  does  not  deliver  that 
message  himself  but  likely  through  the  144, 
000.  This  is  always  God's  way  of  using  his 
angels, — in  connection  with  His  chosen  ser- 
vants to  deliver  the  messages  to  the  people 
in  the  world.  These  144,000  teach  a  com- 
plete spearation  from  the  beast  (Antichrist) 
and  a  joining  to  the  commandments  of  God. 
They  sever  the  people  from  the  beast  and 
the  teaching  of  the  false  prophet  and  bring 


252  UGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

the  people  back  to  God  and  His  command- 
ments. They  are  in  direct  opposition  to  the 
beast  and  the  false  prophet  and  because  of 
that  they  will  be  killed  by  the  beast  after 
their  mission  is  finished.  And  since  the 
persecution  is  so  great,  that  all  who  will  not 
worship  the  beast  or  his  image  must  be 
killed,  therefore  it  says  in  verses  12  and  13: 
''Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints,  they 
that  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and 
the  faith  in  Jesus.  And  I  heard  a  voice 
from  heaven,  saying.  Write,  Blessed  are  the 
dead  who  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth: 
yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest 
from  their  labors;,  for  their  works  follow 
with  them."  This  voice  is  an  encourage- 
ment for  them  to  die  the  death  of  martyrs. 
Stephen  was  encouraged  just  before  he  was 
killed,  when  he  saw  heaven  open  and  the 
Son  of  Man  standing  at  the  right  hand  of 
God.  'Their  works  follow  with  them." 
What  works?  They  are  the  works  of  those 
who  have  the  patience  of  the  saints  to  keep 
the  commandments  of  God  and  the  faith  in 
Jesus  during  the  severe  persecution.    They 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  253 

overcome  not  only  in  faith  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb,  but  also  by  the  Word  of  their 
testimony  and  they  loved  not  their  lives 
unto  death.  They  overcame  like  the  three 
men  in  the  fiery  furnace,  or  like  Jesus  on 
the  cross.  Through  them  the  work  for  the 
Church  is  finished.  The  number  of  the 
martyrs  is  made  full,  for  their  works  follow 
with  them.  The  works  of  the  saints  are 
accepted  of  God  as  the  full  fruit  of  the  seed 
which  Christ  sowed  upon  earth  in  the 
hearts  of  his  followers.  Therefore  has  the 
time  now  come  to  reap  the  earth  and  the 
saints  as  we  shall  see  further  in  this  chapter. 

14  And  I  saw,  and  behold,  a  white  cloud;  and 
on  the  cloud  I  saw  one  sitting  like  unto  a  son  of 
man,  having  on  his  head  a  golden  crown,  and  in  his 
liand  a  sharp  sickle.  15  And  another  angel  came  out 
from  the  temple,  crying  with  a  great  voice  to  him 
that  sat  on  the  cloud,  Send  forth  thy  sickle,  and 
reap :  for  the  hour  to  reap  is  come ;  for  the  harvest 
of  the  earth  is  ripe.  16  And  he  that  sat  on  the 
cloud  cast  his  sickle  upon  the  earth;  and  the  earth 
was  reaped. 

The  earth  has  become  ripe,  because  the 
Church  of  Christ  has  performed  her  mis- 


254  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

sion  on  earth,  both  to  preach  the  eternal 
good  tidings  and  to  lay  the  words  of  God's 
punishment  upon  the  wicked.  The  wicked 
have  made  their  works  full  by  killing  the 
saints  of  God  and  are  therefore  ripe  for  the 
judgment.  This  one  on  the  cloud,  like  unto 
the  Son  of  man,  is  probably  the  same  one 
as  revealed  in  chapter  10,  who  comes  from 
heaven  arrayed  with  a  cloud,  who  lifts  up 
his  right  hand  to  heaven  and  swears  by  him 
who  liveth  forever  and  ever,  that  there  shall 
be  delay  no  longer.  The  fulfillment  of  this 
reaping  of  the  earth  is  revealed  in  chapters 
19:1-21;  20:1-6.  But  we  read  of  another 
reaping  in  the  following  verses  of  chapter 
14. 

17  And  another  angel  came  out  from  the  tem- 
ple which  is  in  heaven,  he  also  having  a  sharp  sickle. 
18  And  another  angel  came  out  from  the  altar,  he 
that  hath  power  over  fire;  and  he  called  with  a 
great  voice  to  him  that  had  the  sharp  sickle,  saying, 
Send  forth  thy  sharp  sickle,  and  gather  the  clusters  of 
the  vine  of  the  earth ;    for  her  grapes  are  fully  ripe. 

What  are  these  clusters  of  the  vine  of 
the  earth  and  these  grapes  which  are  fully 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  255 

ripe?  They  are  undoubtedly  the  144,000  in 
the  beginning  of  the  chapter.  They  are  the 
clusters  on  the  vine  Jesus  Christ.  They  are 
the  grapes  on  earth  fully  ripe  to  be  put  in 
the  wine  press  of  Christ's  suffering.  They 
are  clean,  unblemished  offerings  to  suffer 
for  others  as  burnt  offerings  for  ''they  are 
without  blemish."  In  their  mouth  is  found 
no  lie.  They  also  "follow  the  lamb  wither- 
soever he  goeth."  That  means  into  his 
death  and  resurrection.  O  Christians,  take 
courage;  victory  is  at  hand.  The  saints  will 
finish  their  mission.  Christ  must  get  this 
number  of  faithful  ones.  The  Father  in 
heaven  will  bring  them  forth  for  His  Son. 
He  will  complete  the  bride  for  His  Son.  He 
puts  them  in  the  winepress  just  as  His  Son 
was  put  there. 

19  And  the  angel  cast  his  sickle  into  the  earth,  and 
gathered  the  vintage  of  the  earth,  and  cast  it  into  the 
winepress,  the  great  winepress,  of  the  wrath  of  God. 

20  And  the  winepress  was  trodden  without  the  city, 
and  there  came  out  blood  from  the  winepress,  even 
unto  the  bridles  of  the  horses,  as  far  as  a  thousand 
and  six  hundred  furlongs. 


256  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

This  winepress  is  called  the  great  "of 
the  wrath  of  God."  What  is  this  winepress? 
It  is  like  the  one  in  which  Jesus  was  cast  ta 
bear  God's  wrath  as  a  sin  offering  for  others 
as  we  read  in  Isa.  63:1-6.  "Who  is  this  that 
Cometh  from  Edom,  with  dyed  garments, 
from  Bozrah?  this  that  is  glorious  in  his 
apparel,  marching  in  the  greatness  of  his 
strength?  I  that  speak  in  righteousness, 
mighty  to  save.  Wherefore  art  thou  red  in 
thine  apparel,  and  thy  garments  like  him 
that  treadeth  in  the  wine-fat?  I  have  trod^ 
den  the  winepress  alone;  and  of  the  peoples 
there  was  no  man  with  me:  yea,  I  trod  them 
in  mine  anger,  and  trampled  them  in  my 
wrath;  and  their  life  blood  is  sprinkled 
upon  my  garments,  and  I  have  stained  all 
my  raiment.  For  the  day  of  vengeance  was 
in  my  heart,  and  the  year  of  my  redeemed 
is  come.  And  I  looked,  and  there  was  none 
to  help;  and  I  wondered  that  there  was 
none  to  uphold:  therefore  mine  own  arm 
brought  salvation  unto  me;  and  my  wrath  it 
upheld  me.  I  trod  down  the  people  in  mine- 
anger,  and  made  them  drunk  in  my  wrath„ 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  257 

and  I  poured  out  their  lifeblood  upon  the 
earth."  This  prophecy  undoubtedly  refers 
to  Christ's  crucifixion,  v/hen  He  was  put 
into  this  winepress  of  His  death  without 
the  city  of  Jerusalem,  as  it  also  says  here  in 
Rev.  14:20.  ''And  the  winepress  was  trod- 
den without  the  city,  and  there  came  out 
blood  from  the  winepress,  even  utno  the 
bridles  of  the  horses."  This  blood  must 
assuredly  be  the  blood  of  the  saints,  because 
when  Jesus  shall  come  to  execute  the  judg- 
ment of  God  upon  His  enemies,  there  will 
not  be  any  blood  flowing  from  them,  since 
Jesus  and  His  saints  are  not  fighting  with 
the  literal  sword  that  causeth  the  blood  to 
flow,  but  with  the  sword  that  we  read  of  in 
Rev.  19:21.  "And  the  rest  were  killed  with 
the  sword  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  horse, 
which  came  forth  out  of  his  mouth."  (No 
blood  flowing  here).  His  Word  is  the  sword. 
He  shall  speak  and  the  enemies  shall  drop 
dead,  like  Ananias  and  Sapphira  dropped 
dead  upon  the  word  from  Peter's  mouth. 
No  question,  but  that  this  blood  spoken  of 
here  in  Rev.  14:20  is  the  blood  of  the  last 


258  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

martyrs  of  Jesus,  to  make  that  number  full, 
according  to  the  prophecy  in  Rev.  6:9-11. 
"And  it  was  said  to  them  (to  the  martyrs  of 
the  past  ages),  that  they  should  rest  yet  for 
a  little  time,  until  their  fellow  servants  also 
and  their  brethren,  who  should  be  killed 
even  as  they  were,  should  have  fulfilled 
their  course."  This  prophecy  is  likely  ful- 
filled through  these  144,000  in  Rev.  14. 
They  are  a  chosen  number  out  of  the  many 
that  are  called.  They  are  an  army  of 
worthy  ones,  like  Gideon's  300,  through 
whom  God  gave  deliverance  to  all  Israel 
from  the  Midianites.  And  they  are  a  chosen 
number  like  the  tribe  of  Levi  was  chosen 
out  of  the  12  tribes  to  be  God's  priests,  so 
that  God  could  bless  the  other  tribes 
through  their  faithful  ministry.  God  made 
all  Israel  His  chosen  people  in  bringing 
them  all  out  of  Egypt  into  Canaan,  but  He 
made  a  special  choice  again  among  them  in 
taking  the  tribe  of  Levi  for  the  priesthood. 
They  had  made  themselves  worthy  to  step 
our  on  the  Lord's  side  in  the  sin  of  idolatry 
toward  the  golden  calf.    (Ex.  32:25-29).    We 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  259 

may  also  remark  that  of  the  many  offerings 
by  the  blood  of  beasts,  under  the  old  cov- 
enant  not   all   of  them  pointed  to   Christ 
directly,  but  to  the  members  of  Christ.    The 
offering  of  the  lamb  of  the  passover  and  the 
great   sin    offering   on    the   day   of   atone- 
ment and  several  other  offerings  pointed  to- 
Christ  directly  but  there  were  other  offer- 
ings of  clean  beasts  which  foreshadowed  the 
members  of  Christ,  some  that  were  killed 
in  the  past  and  as  these   144,000  who  are 
without  blemish.    They  are  chosen  of  God 
to   be  used  as  offerings   for  other's  guilt. 
The   meat   of   certain   sin   offerings   whose 
blood  was  not  carried  into  the  holy  place, 
was  to  be  eaten  by  Aaron  and  his  sons;  by 
means    of   which    they   were   to   bear   the 
iniquity  of  the  congregation.     So  we  see 
that  even  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  made 
bearers  of  the  iniquity  of  Israel   (See  Lev. 
6:24-30  and  10:16-18).     So  has  God  in  the 
new  convenant  made  us  bearers  of  other's 
guilt,  with  Christ.     This  is  clearly  taught 
by  Jesus  and  His  apostles.    John  15:12,  13 
and  I  John  3:16.     This  is  the  death  that 


260  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Christ  has  laid  upon  us.  The  death  for 
others;  not  the  death  for  our  own  sins,  for 
He  paid  unto  sin  its  wages. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  SEVEN  ANGELS  WITH  THE 
SEVEN  PLAGUES 

Rev.  15:1-8.  And  I  saw  another  sign  in  heaven, 
great  and  marvellous,  seven  angels  having  seven 
plagues,  which  are  the  last,  for  in  them  is  finished 
the  wrath  of  God. 

These  seven  angels  are  not  from  the 
Church  on  earth,  but  they  come  out  of  the 
temple  of  God  in  heaven.  The  Church  on 
earth  is  also  a  temple  of  God.  The  Lord 
has  a  temple  and  a  priesthood  on  earth,  but 
He  has  also  one  in  heaven  as  we  have  seen 
in  chapters  4,  5,  and  12.  The  seven  trumpets 
of  the  seven  angels  on  earth  have  sounded. 
What  we  read  from  Rev.  11 :  15  to  the  end  of 
chapter  14  is  the  result  of  the  sounding  of 
the  seventh  trumpet.  That  ends  the  work  of 
the  Church  on  earth.  She  has  finished  her 
mission.  She  has  overcome  through  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb.  She  has  overcome  to 
finish  her  testimony  for  Jesus  Christ.  She 
also  has  overcome  not  to  love  her  life  unto 


262  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

death,  for  she  freely  laid  down  her  life  for 
the  truth's  sake  and  as  an  offering  for  the 
guilt  of  others.  She  has  been  formed  into 
the  likeness  of  Christ's  suffering  and  resur- 
rection and  therefore  is  her  work  done;  as 
that  was  also  the  last  act  of  Christ  on  earth, 
to  lay  down  His  life  for  the  world.  But  the 
seven  angels  out  of  the  temple  of  God  in 
heaven  have  yet  an  important  work  to  do  in 
order  that  we  may  receive  the  kingdom 
through  the  coming  of  Christ.  Remember 
what  an  important  work  the  angels  of  God 
did  in  connection  with  Israel's  deliverance 
out  of  Egypt  and  through  the  wilderness, 
the  inheritance  of  the  land  of  Canaan  and 
the  release  from  Babylon. 

2  And  I  saw  as  it  were  a  sea  of  glass  mingled 

with  fire;    and  them  that  come  off  victorious   from 

the  beast,  and  from  his  image,  and  from  the  number 

of   his   name,    standing  by   the   sea   of   glass,   having 

harps  of  God.  3  And  they  sing  the  song  of  Moses  the 

servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb,  saying, 

Great   and   marvellous   are   thy   works,   O   Lord 

God,  the  Almighty;    righteous  and  true  are  thy 

ways,  thou  King  of  the  ages.     4  Who  shall  not 

fear,   O   Lord,   and  glorify  thy  name?   for  thou 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  263 

only  art  holy;  for  all  the  nations  shall  come  and 
worship  before  thee ;  for  thy  righteous  acts 
have  been  made  manifest. 

Notice  in  the  above  passage  how  these 
prophecies  in  Revelation  connect  us  with 
the  deliverance  of  Israel  from  Pharaoh  and 
his  army  in  the  Red  Sea.  Israel's  deliver- 
ance through  Moses  is  the  shadow  of  the 
deliverance  in  Christ  from  Satan's  power 
and  from  the  two  beasts  (servants  of  Satan) 
as  seen  in  Rev.  13.  Those  who  come  off 
victorious  from  the  beast  (Antichrist)  and 
from  his  image  and  from  the  number  of  his 
name,  stand  now  by  the  glassy  sea  singing 
the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb.  As  Israel 
was  led  through  the  Red  Sea,  with  the  cloud 
and  pillar  of  fire,  which  gave  darkness  to 
the  Egyptians,  but  light  to  Israel  (Ex.  14: 
19-24),  so  will  those  who  come  off  victor- 
ious from  the  beast,  his  image  and  name, 
stand  by  the  glassy  sea,  that  is,  the  air. 
They  will  be  lifted  up  with  the  clouds  to 
meet  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  air  as 
revealed  in  I  Thess.  4:15-18.  But  they  shall 
not  remain   there  always;   for  we   read  of 


264  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

them  again  in  Rev.  20:4  that  these  very- 
ones  also  reign  with  Christ  1000  years 
upon  the  earth.  "And  I  saw  thrones,  and 
they  that  sat  upon  them,  and  judgment  was 
given  unto  them:  and  I  saw  the  souls  of 
them  that  had  been  beheaded  for  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  and  for  the  word  of  God,  and 
such  as  worshipped  not  the  beast,  neither 
his  image,  and  received  not  the  mark  upon 
their  forehead  and  upon  their  hand;  and 
they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thou- 
sand years."  The  Antichrist  can  kill  them,^ 
but  God  makes  them  alive  again.  So  they 
can  well  sing  this  song  of  Moses  and  the 
Lamb  by  the  glassy  sea,  mingled  with  fire. 
Being  with  Christ  in  the  air;  seeing  their 
complete  deliverance  from  their  enemies  on 
earth;  seeing  the  judgment  of  their  enemies 
and  seeing  their  own  reward  to  reign  with 
Christ  over  the  nations  on  earth,  causes 
them  to  sing  this  song  here  in  chapter  15:4. 
As  Israel  was  not  only  saved  out  of  Egypt, 
but  was  afterwards  led  into  Canaan,  to  take 
in  the  kingdoms  there,  so  likewise  here  in 
Revelation  is  the  Church  not  merely  saved 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  265 

from  its  enemies,  but  is  to  reign  with  Christ 
over  all  nations  on  earth  in  due  time.  For 
we  read  in  verse  4  "Who  shall  not  fear,  O 
Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name?  for  thou  only 
art  holy :  for  all  the  nations  shall  come  and 
worship  before  thee:  for  thy  righteous  acts 
have  been  made  manifest."  Undoubtedly 
referring  to  the  righteous  works  of  Christ 
as  revealed  in  Rev.  1:5,  6;  5:9,  10  and  II 
Cor.  5:19.  The  righteous  works  of  Christ 
have  also  been  revealed  in  His  Church  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  the  world,  as  it  was  in  the 
case  with  Israel  in  the  Red  Sea  and  later  in 
their  history. 

5  And  after  these  things  I  saw,  and  the  temple 
of  the  tabernacle  of  the  testimony  in  heaven  was 
opened:  6  and  there  came  out  from  the  temple  the 
seven  angels  that  had  the  seven  plagues,  arrayed 
with  precious  stone,  pure  and  bright,  (likely  refer- 
ring to  their  body)  and  girt  about  their  breasts  with 
golden  girdles.  7  And  one  of  the  four  living  crea- 
tures gave  unto  the  seven  angels  seven  golden  bowls 
full  of  the  wrath  of  God,  who  liveth  for  ever  and 
ever.  8  And  the  temple  was  filled  with  smoke  from 
the  glory  of   God,   and   from  his  power;    and   none 


266  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

was    able    to    enter    into    the    temple,    till    the    seven 
plagues  of  the  seven  angels  should  be  finished. 

The  temple  of  the  tabernacle  of  the 
testimony  is  now  opened  in  heaven.  This 
connects  us  again  with  Israel's  tabernacle 
which  was  divided  into  two  divisions,  apart 
from  the  court  outside  of  the  real  taber- 
nacle. There  was  the  holy  place  where  the 
priests  did  service  to  God.  Then  there  was 
the  holy  of  holies  where  the  ark  of  the 
testimony  was,  into  which  only  the  high 
priest  went  once  a  year  to  make  atonement 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  congregation4 
The  tabernacle  of  the  testimony  in  the 
temple  of  God  in  heaven  is  now  opened 
unto  us,  and  we  see  Jesus,  our  great  high 
priest,  making  atonement  through  His  blood 
and  intercession  for  the  sins  of  His  whole 
people,  yea,  for  all  the  world.  We  see  his 
whole  Church,  taken  out  of  all  nations  on 
earth,  reconciled  to  God.  Yea,  we  see  all 
nations,  peoples,  tongues,  and  tribes  recon- 
ciled to  God  by  His  blood  and  by  His  inter- 
cessory prayers.  Nothing  but  the  great  sin 
of  unbelief  stands  between  them  and  God. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  267 

We  see  that  He  is  the  only  righteous  one, 
and  that  through  His  works,  we  are  all 
made  righteous  before  God.  He  is  mad^e 
from  God  unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness, 
sanctification  and  redemption.  He  believes 
for  His  whole  Church:  yea  He  believes  for 
all  nations.  'Tor  there  is  one  God,  one 
mediator  also  between  God  and  men,  him- 
self man,  Christ  Jesus,  who  gave  himself,  a 
ransom  for  all;  the  testimony  (to  be  borne) 
in  its  own  time."  This  testimony  was  borne 
to  the  people  by  the  apostle.  This  taber- 
nacle of  the  testimony  was  opened  to  him. 
He  saw  Christ,  the  great  Mediator  between 
God  and  man  making  atonement  and  inter- 
cession for  all  men,  especially  for  His 
saints.  This  light  or  knowledge  in  Christ, 
gave  the  apostle  great  victory  to  save 
people  from  the  power  of  Satan  and  to 
bring  them  to  Christ.  His  strength  was  in 
His  knowledge  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  acting  great  Mediator  between 
God  and  man  to  bring  men  unto  God.  The 
apostle's  faith  was  anchored  in  the  sanc- 
tuary in   heaven.     Oh,  what  a  power  for 


268  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Christian  parents  to  see  this  Mediator  in 
his  faith  and  intercession  for  the  salvation 
of  their  family.  The  minister  of  a  congre- 
gation needs  to  be  connected  with  this 
power  in  heaven  in  order  to  save  his  con- 
gregation. Therefore  heaven  is  opened  to 
us  and  the  temple  of  the  tabernacle  of  the 
testimony  is  also  opened  to  us  that  we  may 
have  power  to  save  men,  being  connected 
with  the  all  conquering  powers  of  God  in 
his  sanctuary  in  heaven. 

These  seven  angels  come  out  of  the 
temple  of  God  in  heaven.  They  receive 
seven  golden  bowls  full  of  fire,  from  one  of 
the  living  creatures.  These  bowls  are  full 
of  God's  wrath  to  be  poured  out  upon 
earth.  Through  their  service  is  the  work 
finished  upon  earth  for  the  coming  of 
Christ  to  take  His  bride  and  to  set  up  His 
kingdom,  as  we  shall  see  in  the  following 
chapter. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE  SEVEN  ANGELS  POUR  WRATH 
UPON  THE  EARTH 

Rev.  16:1-21.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of 
the  temple,  saying  to  the  seven  angels,  Go  ye,  and 
pour  out  the  seven  bowls  of  the  wrath  of  God  into 
the  earth.  2  And  the  first  went,  and  poured  out  his 
bowl  into  the  earth;  and  it  became  a  noisome  and 
grievous  sore  upon  the  men  that  had  the  mark  of 
the  beast,  and  that  worshipped  his  image. 

This  is  an  act  of  God's  mercy  in  afflict- 
ing these  men  so  that  they  may  repent  and 
be  saved  from  the  eternal  punishment  of 
hell  or  the  lake  of  fire.  For  we  read  in 
verse  9:  *'And  they  repented  not  to  give 
God  glory?" 

3  And  the  second  poured  out  his  bowl  into  the 
sea ;  and  it  became  blood  as  of  a  dead  man ;  and 
every  living  soul  died,  even  the  things  that  were  in 
the  sea.  4  And  the  third  poured  out  his  bowl  into 
the  rivers  and  the  fountains  of  the  waters;  and  it 
became  blood.  5  And  I  heard  the  angel  of  the  waters 
saying,  Righteous  art  thou,  who  art  and  who  wast, 
thou  Holy  One,  because  thou  didst  thus  judge :  6 
for  they  poured  out  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets, 


270  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

and  blood  hast  thou  given  them  to  drink :  they  are' 
worthy.  7  And  I  heard  the  altar  saying,  Yea,  O 
Lord  God,  the  Almighty,  true  and  righteous  are  thy 
judgments.  8  And  the  fourth  poured  out  his  bowl 
upon  the  sun;  and  it  was  given  unto  it  to  scorch 
men  with  fire.  9  And  men  were  scorched  with  great 
heat:  and  they  blasphemed  the  name  of  God  who 
hath  the  power  over  these  plagues ;  and  they  repent- 
ed not  to  give  him  glory.  10  And  the  fifth  poured 
out  his  bowl  upon  the  throne  of  the  beast;  and  his 
kingdom  was  darkened ;  and  they  gnawed  their 
tongues  for  pain,  11  and  they  blasphemed  the  God  of 
heaven  because  of  their  pains  and  their  sores ;  and 
they  repented  not  of  their  works. 

You  will  notice  that  these  plagues  men- 
tioned above,  are  plagues  very  similar  to 
those  that  God  caused  to  come  upon  the 
Egyptians  for  the  wrong  they  did  to  Israel. 
Pharoah  hardened  his  heart  and  stood  a- 
gainst  God's  plan  to  let  Israel  go  out  of 
Egypt  to  serve  the  Lord.  So  the  Antichrist 
and  the  false  prophet  are  working  hard 
against  God  to  prevent  the  coming  of 
'Christ  by  causing  all  men  and  even  the 
saints  to  worship  the  beast  and  his  image, 
(or  to  take  his  name  and  mark  upon  their 


THE    BOOK    OF     REVELATION  271 

foreheads  or  hand.  This  kind  of  defilement 
would,  of  course,  prevent  the  saints  from 
being  ready  for  the  coming  of  Christ;  and 
it  would  also  prevent  Christ  from  getting 
the  full  number  of  members  out  of  all 
peoples  on  earth  for  His  kingdom.  The 
Lord  continues  to  visit  with  judgment,  the 
works  of  the  wicked  who  have  killed  His 
prophets  and  His  saints.  But  let  us  not 
overlook  the  mercy  of  God  towards  them; 
for  all  these  sore  plagues  are  sent  to  work 
in  them  repentance  of  their  evil  works  for 
we  read,  "And  they  repented  not  to  give  him 
glory."  But  instead  of  repenting  and  ob- 
taining mercy,  they  hardened  their  hearts 
as  we  read  further:  "and  they  blasphemed 
the  God  of  heaven  because  of  their  pains 
and  their  sores;  and  they  repented  not  of 
their  works."  By  this  we  see  that  these 
plagues  were  really  not  sent  to  destroy 
them,  but  much  rather  to  work  in  them 
repentance  for  their  salvation.  In  verses  5 
to  7  we  see  how  God  gets  praise  from  His 
angels,  because  of  His  judgments  in  giving 
those  who  have  spilled  the  blood  of  His 


272  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

saints  and  prophets,  blood  to  drink.  The 
blessings  in  nature  are  turned  to  a  curse 
unto  them.  The  rivers  and  fountains  of 
waters  are  turned  into  blood  and  the  sun 
gives  forth  a  scorching  heat  to  hurt  men. 
The  fifth  bowl  is  poured  upon  the  throne  of 
the  beast  and  his  kingdom  is  darkened  so 
that  they  gnawed  their  tongues 'for  pain. 
In  a  similar  way  was  the  kingdom  of  Phar- 
aoh darkened  when  God  through  Moses 
and  His  angel  poured  out  His  judgments 
upon  it.  The  servants  of  Pharaoh  came  to 
him  once  and  said,  "Let  (Israel)  go;  know- 
est  thou  not  yet  that  Egypt  is  destroyed" 
(Ex.  10:7).  But  Israel  had  to  be  saved  out 
of  Babylon  also  later  on,  by  God's  servants 
and  by  the  mighty  angels  of  God  as  well  as 
out  of  Egypt.  So  in  our  age  are  the  people 
of  God  saved  out  of  spiritual  Egypt  and 
Babylon  as  we  shall  see  in  the  next  verses. 

12  And  the  sixth  poured  out  his  bowl  upon  the 
great  river,  the  river  Euphrates ;  and  the  water 
thereof  was  dried  up,  that  the  way  might  be  made 
.ready   for  the   kings  that  come   from  the   sunrising. 

Evidently  this  connects  us  again  with 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  273 

Israel's  history  and  their  deliverance  out  of 
Babylon  where  they  were  in  captivity.  Cyrus 
their  prophesied  deliverer,  conquered  the 
kingdom  of  Babylon  and  its  fortified  city  by 
going  through  the  Euphrates.  He  cut  the 
stream  off  into  another  direction  and  so 
went  into  the  city  of  Babylon  through 
the  river  bed  and  took  the  city  while 
Belshazzar  had  his  great  feast.  The  king- 
dom was  promised  long  before  to  Cyrus  and 
to  the  Medo-Persians.  These  were  the  kings 
from  the  sunrising,  since  they  came  from 
the  East.  But  who  is  meant  in  the  above 
verse  where  we  read,  ''that  the  way  might 
[be  made  ready  for  the  kings  that  come  from 
the  sunrising."  Surely  no  others  but  those 
who  are  prophesied  to  us,  the  ones  to  whom 
the  kingdom  of  the  world  is  promised. 
Jesus  is  the  beginning  of  the  day.  Through 
His  coming  with  His  saints  the  sun  will 
arise  in  this  world.  They  were  already 
revealed  to  Daniel.  **I  saw  in  the  night- 
visions,  and,  behold,  there  came  with  the 
clouds  of  heaven  one  like  unto  a  son  of  man 
(Christ),  and  he  came  even  to  the  ancient 


274  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

of  days,  and  they  brought  him  near  before 
him.  And  there  was  given  him  dominion,, 
and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  the 
peoples,  nations,  and  languages  should 
serve  him:  his  dominion  is  an  everlasting 
dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and 
his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  de- 
stroyed." "And  the  kingdom  and  the  do- 
minion, and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdoms 
under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to 
the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High: 
his  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and 
all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him" 
(Dan.  7:13,  14,  26,  27).  In  Rev.  19:11-21  we 
see  them  coming  to  take  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world.  The  forerunners  of  Christ  are 
revealed  to  us  in  Rev.  11  in  the  two  wit- 
nesses and  later  on,  also  in  the  144,000  of 
chapter  14.  We  have  no  other  promises  in 
the  prophecies  of  the  Bible  apart  from 
these.  The  waters  of  the  great  river  Eu- 
phrates will  be  dried  up  by  the  sixth  angel 
pouring  out  his  bowl  upon  it.  It  is  of 
course  not  the  literal  river  Euphrates  but 
the  spiritual  one.    It  is  the  opposite  of  the 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  275 

river  of  life.  It  is  contrary  to  what  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  and  teaches.  But  we  shall 
have  more  to  say  about  Babylon  in  the  next 
two  chapters. 

13  And  I  saw  coming  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet,  three  unclean 
spirits,  as  it  were  frogs:  14  for  they  are  spirits  of 
•demons,  working  signs ;  which  go  forth  unto  the 
kings  of  the  whole  world,  to  gather  them  together 
unto  the  war  of  the  great  day  of  God,  the  Almighty. 

This  is  now  the  last  desperate  effort 
that  the  dragon  (devil)  and  the  beast  (anti- 
Christ)  and  the  false  prophet  make  to 
deceive  the  kings  of  the  whole  world.  They 
are  using  these  signs  in  order  to  hold  them 
to  their  side  and  keep  the  kingdom.  They 
know  that  they  have  but  little  time,  since 
the  water  of  the  Euphrates  is  dried  up.  For 
the  way  is  made  ready  for  Christ  to  come  to 
take  His  saints  out  of  Babylon.  The  next 
verse  makes  this  plain. 

15  (Behold,  I  come  as  a.  thief.  Blessed  is  he 
that  watcheth,  an^  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk; 
naked,  and  they  see  his  shame.) 


276  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Jesus  comes  first  as  a  thief.  He  will 
rob  the  world  of  its  best  people,  His  saints* 
They  are  the  light  in  the  world,  the  salt  in 
the  earth.  Jesus  will  come  first  as  a  bride- 
groom to  take  His  bride  and  all  those  who 
have  on  the  wedding  garments  with  Him  to 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  Hence 
the  warning  here  in  verse  15.  ''Behold  I 
come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that  watch- 
eth,  and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk 
naked,  and  they  see  his  shame."  A  person 
who  is  not  watchful  in  keeping  the  blood 
washed  garment  of  Christ  and  his  robe  of 
righteousness  is  naked.  He  is  an  object  of 
shame,  and  would  therefore  not  be  ready  to 
go  with  Christ  when  he  comes  to  take  His 
own.     (See  Isa.  61:10  and  Matt.  22:11-13). 

16  And  they  gathered  them  together  into  the 
place  which  is  called  in  Hebrew  Har-Magedon. 

That  is,  the  dragon,  the  beast  and  the 
false  prophet,  through  their  signs  have 
gathered  the  kings  of  the  whole  earth 
together  unto  the  war  of  the  great  day  of 
God.  This  day  of  war  we  see  revealed  in 
Rev.  19:19-21. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  277 

17  And  the  seventh  poured  out  his  bowl  upon 
the  air;  and  there  came  forth  a  great  voice  out  of 
the  temple,  from  the  throne,  saying,  It  is  done:  18 
and  there  were  lightnings,  and  voices,  and  thunders; 
and  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  such  as  was  not' 
since  there  were  men  upon  the  earth,  so  great  an 
earthquake,  so  mighty.  19  And  the  great  city  was 
divided  into  three  parts,  and  the  cities  of  the  nations 
fell:  and  Babylon  the  great  was  remembered  in  the 
sight  of  God,  to  give  unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine  of 
the  fierceness  of  his  wrath.  20  And  every  island; 
fled  away,  and  the  mountains  were  not  found.  21 
And  great  hail,  every  stone  about  the  weight  of  a! 
talent,  cometh  down  out  of  heaven  upon  men:  and 
men  blasphemed  God  because  of  the  plague  of  the 
hail;    for  the  plague  thereof  is  exceeding  great. 

Now  has  the  wrath  of  God  been  fully 
poured  out  over  the  people  who  refused  to 
believe  in  His  Son  and  to  obey  His  com- 
mandments. The  kingdoms  of  the  world 
have  fallen.  The  time  of  the  Antichrist's 
reign  has  come  to  an  end.  The  cities  of  the 
nations  have  fallen.  Babylon  gets  its  death 
penalty  from  the  seventh  angel,  whose  bowl 
is  full  of  God's  wrath  over  her,  over  the 
cities  of  the  nations,  and  over  the  great 
city,  which  it  divides  into  three  parts.    The 


278  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

whole  earth  is  shaken  with  a  great  earth- 
quake and  great  hail  stones  fall.  Oh,  what 
a  judgment  of  God's  wrath  is  poured  out  by 
these  seven  angels  and  especially  by  the 
last  one.  The  way  is  now  fully  prepared 
for  the  coming  of  Christ,  by  these  seven 
angels.  Notice  in  Rev.  11:15-19  how  alike 
the  works  that  follow  the  sounding  of  the 
seventh  angel  on  earth  are  to  those  that 
follow,  after  the  seventh  angel  from  heaven 
has  poured  out  his  bowl  upon  the  air. 
Remember  in  Israel's  deliverance  out  of 
Egypt  that  it  was  the  angel  of  God  who  put 
the  last  plague  upon  the  Egyptians,  not 
Moses  and  Aaron.  So  also  with  their  de- 
liverance out  of  Babylon.  God  truly  used 
His  prophets  to  put  the  words  of  His  judg- 
ments upon  the  kingdom  of  Babylon :  but  it 
was  His  angels  who  fought  for  Israel's 
deliverance  against  those  who  held  them  in 
captivity  (Ex.  12:23;  Dan.  10:12,  13).  So 
here  in  Revelation  we  have  the  Lamb's 
work  in  Rev.  5  when  he  takes  the  book 
sealed  with  seven  seals  and  opens  them; 
and  then  we  have  the  sounding  of  the  seven 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  279 

trumpets;  and  lastly  the  seven  angels  from 
heaven  pour  out  their  bowls  full  of  the 
wrath  of  God.  When  the  seventh  poured 
out  his  bowl  upon  the  air,  the  great  voice 
from  the  throne  in  heaven  says — ^"It  is 
done."  That  is,  all  is  now  made  ready  for 
the  judgment  words  of  God  to  be  executed. 
This  execution  is  fulfilled  by  the  coming  of 
Christ  with  His  army  of  angels,  or  saints, 
from  heaven,  as  it  is  so  plainly  revealed  in 
Rev.  19:11-21  and  even  further  in  chapter 
20:1-6. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  MOTHER  OF  HARLOTS  RE- 
VEALED 

Rev.  17:1-18.  And  there  came  one  of  the  seven 
angels  that  had  the  seven  bowls,  and  spake  v^^ith  me, 
saying.  Come  hither,  I  v^ill  show  thee  the  judgment 
of  the  great  harlot  that  sitteth  upon  many  waters;  2 
with  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  committed  fornica- 
tion, and  they  that  dwell  in  the  earth  were  made 
drunken  with  the  wine  of  her  fornication. 

The  beginning  of  chapter  19  is  an 
immediate  continuation  of  chapter  16.  The 
two  chapters,  17  and  18,  come  in  between, 
and  in  them  is  the  great  harlot  of  Babylon 
revealed  to  us,  with  the  command  of  God  to 
His  people  to  come  out  of  her  and  to  lay 
upon  her  the  words  of  His  judgment.  Her 
dwelling  place  and  all  her  works  are  re- 
vealed to  us.  The  beast  with  the  seven 
heads  and  ten  horns  is  also  revealed  to  us 
more  fully  in  chapter  17.  It  is  very  needfu^ 
that  this  mother  of  harlots,  who  has  caused 
all  the  kings  and  nations  to  fall  and  from 
whom  God's  people  are  strictly  commanded 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  281 

to  come  forth,  be  shown  unto  all  of  God's 
people.  May  the  Holy  Spirit  enable  us  to 
see  her  clearly  and  also  the  beast  that 
carries  her. 

3  And  he  (the  angel)  carried  me  away  in  the  Spirit 
into  a  wilderness :  and  I  saw  a  woman  sitting  upon 
a  scarlet-colored  beast,  full  of  names  of  blasphemy, 
having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns.  4  And  the  wo- 
man was  arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet,  and  decked 
with  gold  and  precious  stone  and  pearls,  having  in 
her  hand  a  golden  cup  full  of  abominations,  (her 
teaching)  even  the  unclean  things  of  her  fornication, 
5  and  upon  her  forehead  a  name  written,  MYS- 
TERY, BABYLON  THE  GREAT,  THE  MOTH- 
ER OF  THE  HARLOTS  AND  OF  THE  ABOM- 
INATIONS OF  THE  EARTH.  6  And  I  saw  the 
woman  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints,  and 
with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus.  And  when 
I  saw  her,  I  wondered  with  a  great  wonder. 

This  great  harlot  is  shown  to  us  as 
sitting  on  a  scarlet  colored  beast  full  of 
names  of  blasphemy  with  seven  heads  and 
ten  horns.  These  seven  heads  are  king- 
doms in  the  world  as  we  shall  see  later  on 
in  this  chapter.  Verse  four  describes  her  as 
being  rich  in  her  apparel  for  she  has  the 


282  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

kings  and  kingdoms  of  this  world  at  her 
disposal;  she  is  paid  by  the  government  for 
she  sits  upon  the  beast  and  he  carries  her. 
She  is  called,  ''Mystery,"  but  also  "Babylon 
the  great,  ''the  mother  of  harlots."  She  is  a 
great  enemy  of  the  saints  and  servants  of 
Christ,  for  she  is  drunken  with  the  blood  of 
the  saints  and  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus.  In 
chapter  18:  24  we  read — "And  in  her  was 
found  the  blood  of  prophets  and  of  saints 
and  of  all  that  have  been  slain  upon  the 
earth."  In  the  light  of  this  scripture  can 
we  not  clearly  see  who  this  harlot  is?  Her 
name  is  Mystery  but  she  is  not  to  be  a 
mystery  to  us.  The  angel  out  of  the  temple 
in  heaven  has  revealed  her  unto  us.  Praise 
God  for  this  revelation.  She  is  fully  re- 
vealed to  us  in  these  two  chapters  of  Rev. 
17  and  18.  The  apostle  John  wondered 
with  great  wonder  when  he  saw  her.  This 
woman  must  be  the  religious  teaching  ac- 
knowledged by  the  kings  and  rulers  on 
earth — the  church  that  has  drifted  away 
from  faith  in  Jesus  and  the  commandments 
of  Christ,  and  has  joined  the  government  of 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  283 

the  world  and  adopted  its  laws.  She  has 
fallen  from  the  spiritual  weapons  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  has  taken  the  carnal  weap- 
on of  war,  for  she  has  killed  the  saints. 
The  blood  of  the  saints,  of  the  martyrs  of 
Jesus  and  of  the  prophets  and  of  all  that 
were  slain  on  the  earth  was  found  in  her. 
Surely  here  is  light  in  regard  to  who  this 
mystery  and  great  harlot  of  Babylon  may 
be.  Who  killed  Christ  and  His  apostles  and 
saints?  It  was  the  Jews  who  were  under  the 
law  of  Moses  and  who  would  not  believe  onj 
Christ;  they  and  the  kings  in  the  world 
killed  them.  This  harlot  carries  the  sword 
to  kill.  She  is  joined  to  her  husband,  not 
to  Christ.  She  is  joined  to  the  kings  of  the 
earth.  She  may  go  by  the  name  of  Chris- 
tian, but  she  is  a  murderess.  The  Babylon 
of  this  world  is  the  home  over  which  she 
has  dominion,  but  not  the  Jerusalem  of 
heaven.  She  is  separated  from  Christ  and 
is  joined  to  the  kings  and  kingdoms  of 
earth.  The  Jews  who  were  under  the  law 
of  Moses  did  exactly  the  same  thing.  They 
rejected   Christ  their   King   and   said   that 


284  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

they  had  no  king  but  Caesar,  the  emperor 
of  Rome.  It  is  not  so  surprising  that  John 
wondered  with  great  wonder  when  he  saw 
her. 

7  And  the  angel  said  unto  me,  Wherefore  didst  thou 
wonder?  I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of  the  woman, 
and  of  the  beast  that  carrieth  her,  which  hath  the 
seven  heads  and  the  ten  horns.  8  The  beast  that 
thou  sawest  was,  and  is  not;  and  is  about  to  come 
up  out  of  the  abyss,  and  to  go  into  perdition.  And 
they  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  wonder,  they 
whose  name  hath  not  been  written  in  the  book  of 
life  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  when  they 
behold  the  beast,  how  that  he  was,  and  is  not,  and 
shall  come.  9  Here  is  the  mind  that  hath  wisdom. 
The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains,  on  which  the 
woman  sitteth :  10  and  they  are  seven  kings ;  the 
five  are  fallen,  the  one  is,  the  other  is  not  yet  come; 
and  when  he  cometh,  he  must  continue  a  little  while. 
11  And  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  is  himself 
also  an  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven;  and  he  goeth 
into  perdition. 

In  verse  8  the  origin  and  the  destina- 
tion of  the  beast  (A.ntichrist)  is  revealed  to 
us.  He  comes  out  of  the  abyss — probably 
a  place  of  Satanic  wickedness.  Satan  is 
cast  into  the  abyss  for  1000  years  (Rev.  20: 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  285 

1-3).  He  is  surrendered  to  the  devil  to  do 
nothing  but  his  will,  as  Jesus  was  sur- 
rendered to  His  Father  to  do  nothing  but 
God's  will.  As  the  man-child  in  Rev.  12:1-5 
is  born  from  the  mother  Church  in  heaven 
so  is  this  beast  born  from  below.  We  have 
seen  in  chapter  13  how  Satan,  the  dragon, 
gives  him  his  power  and  his  throne  and 
great  authority.  He  goes  into  perdition. 
He  is  doomed  to  everlasting  punishment  in 
the  lake  of  fire.  He  will  never  be  saved, 
but  will  be  lost  forever.  Verse  8  also  tells 
us  that  he  was,  and  is  not,  but  is  about  to 
come  up.  We  may  well  say  that  he  was  in 
the  person  of  King  Pharaoh  of  Egypt  who 
met  his  doom  in  the  bottom  of  the  Red  Sea 
with  those  who  fought  with  him  against  the 
people  of  God.  Of  course  the  spirit  of  the 
Antichrist  was  in  many  other  rulers  who 
were  great  enemies  of  God's  people  of  old 
and  later  on  of  the  Christians;  but  in  no 
one  else  can  we  see  a  clearer  type  of  this 
beast  than  the  Pharaoh  in  Moses'  time. 
When  John  received  this  revelation  he  was 
banished    to    the    Isle    of    Patmos    by    the 


286  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

emperor  of  Rome:  but  this  enemy  of  the 
Christians  was  not  the  beast  or  a  true  type 
of  him,  for  it  says  in  verse  8,  "The  beast 
that  thou  sawest  was,  and  is  not/'  There- 
fore he  was  not  existing  at  that  time.  The 
people  on  earth  shall  wonder  at  that  beast 
when  they  see  him — how  "he  was,  and  is 
not,  and  shall  come."  That  is,  those  shall 
wonder  who  have  not  their  names  written 
in  the  book  of  life  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world.  God  writes  the  histories  of  men 
and  even  nations  before  they  are  born, 
because  He  sees  their  beginning  and  their 
ending.  He  knows  how  they  will  use  their 
free  will,  whether  they  will  worship  God,  or 
the  devil.  Therefore  He  can  also  write  be- 
forehand their  eternal  destiny, — punishment 
or  bliss.  From  this  point  of  view  He  did  not 
write  in  the  book  of  life  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world,  the  names  of  those  whO' 
would  not  believe,  but  only  of  those  who 
would  believe.  He  has  not  created  any 
one  to  be  lost,  but  He  has  created  man 
with  a  free  will  to  serve  God,  or  the  enemy. 
He  takes  great  pains  to  chastise  men  with 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  287 

sore  plagues,  as  we  have  seen,  in  order  to 
bring  them  to  repentance  for  their  salva- 
tion. But  some  will  never  repent.  And 
therefore  must  God  be  true  to  His  law  in 
judging  them  according  to  their  deeds. 
"He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
saved;  but  he  that  disbelieveth  shall  be 
damned."  How  could  God  save  one  against 
His  law  when  he  will  not  believe? 

In  verses  9  and  10  we  read — "Here  is 
the  mind  that  hath  wisdom.  The  seven 
heads  [of  the  beast]  are  seven  mountains 
on  which  the  woman  sitteth:  and  they  are 
seven  kings  [that  is,  these  seven  mountains 
are  seven  kings] ;  the  five  are  fallen,  the 
one  is,  the  other  is  not  yet  come;  and  when 
he  Cometh,  he  must  continue  a  little  while." 

These  verses  do  not  speak  of  the  Anti- 
christ or  of  the  beast  directly  but  speak 
of  the  seven  world  kingdoms  (called  moun- 
tains) out  of  which  the  Antichrist  shall 
come,  because  in  verse  11  we  read;  "and 
the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  is  himself 
also  an  eighth  and  is  of  the  seven."  The 
beast  (Antichrist)  will  be  the  last  king  and 


288  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

his  kingdom  will  be  the  last  one  before  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.  There  are  seven  great 
world  kingdoms  before  him  which  are  likely 
(as  a  certain  writer  has  said)  the  Egyptian^ 
Assyrian,  Babylonian,  Medo-Persian,  Grec- 
ian, Roman,  and  the  present  one  in  which 
we  now  live,  which  really  comes  out  of  the 
Roman  and  out  of  which  the  Antichrist 
shall  come.  All  these  seven  kingdoms  ruled 
over  God's  chosen  people.  The^e  seven 
kingdoms  are  called  seven  mountauis,  on 
which  the  harlot  sitteth  and  they  are  the 
seven  heads  of  the  beast.  King  Pharaoh 
was  the  first  great  enemy  of  God's  people; 
the  Antichrist,  or  the  beast,  as  he  is  called, 
v/ill  be  the  last  one  excepting  the  devil. 
This  beast  shall  rule  at  the  close  of  the 
seventh  kingdom,  for  this  seventh  kingdom 
shall  come  under  his  rule  with  all  its  divi- 
sions as  it  is  now;  but  he  shall  rule  only 
for  a  short  time.  Since  we  read  in  verse  10, 
"the  five  are  fallen,  the  one  is,  and  the  other 
is  not  yet  come,"  therefore  it  could  not  re- 
fer to  the  seven  mountains  on  which  the 
city  of  Rome  is  built.    This  is  very  clear,  for 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  289 

the  Bible  speaks  of  great  kingdoms  as 
mountains.  (See  Jer.  51:25,  26).  But  the 
five  kings,  world  kingdoms,  or  mountains, 
that  are  fallen  no  doubt  refer  to  the  Egyp- 
tian, Assyrian,  Babylonian,  Medo-Persian, 
and  Macedonian  kingdoms  which  had  al- 
ready fallen  at  that  time.  They  had  been 
conquered  by  others.  They  aimed  to  rule 
over  the  world  but  they  were  dethroned. 
See  Ezek.  21 :27.  'The  one  that  is,"  must 
refer  to  the  Roman  kingdom  then  in  ruling 
power.  "The  other  that  is  not  yet  come, 
and  when  he  cometh,  he  must  continue  a 
little  while,"  refers  evidently  to  the  king- 
dom and  king  following  the  Roman  period. 
It  is  the  kingdom  in  which  we  now  live.  It 
has  not  yet  headed  out  into  the  real  beast, 
but  it  is  fast  working  in  that  direction.  The 
words  above,  *'he  must  continue  a  little 
while,"  refer  to  the  Antichrist  himself,  for 
he  shall  rule  a  very  short  time.  But  the 
kingdom  out  of  which  he  comes  has  had  a 
long  existence  already.  The  laws  of  the 
seven  world  kingdoms  are  foundation 
stones,  or  building  material  upon  v/h'ch  the 


290  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Antichrist  can  build;  just  as  all  the  prophe- 
cies of  the  prophets  in  the  Old  Testament 
were  building  material  for  Christ  to  use  in 
His  ministry  on  earth  and  even  for  the 
future  when  He  shall  come  to  reign. 

But  we  read  of  the  harlot  that  she  sits 
on  these  seven  heads  of  the  beast,  which 
heads  are  seven  kings  and  seven  mountains. 
How  does  she  sit  on  them?  Does  not  the 
fleshly  Church  today  study  the  history  and 
many  of  the  laws  of  those  seven  world  king- 
doms? A.re  not  the  histories  of  those  king- 
doms studied  more  today  in  our  colleges 
and  universities  than  the  Bible?  The  Greek 
philosophers  are  studied  even  more  than 
the  prophets  of  God,  and  Roman  laws  are 
adopted  everywhere  in  civilized  nations  of 
high  education.  This  harlot  of  Babylon  is 
filled  with  the  spirit  that  ruled  in  all  these 
kingdoms.  She  sits  on  their  laws  instead 
of  Christ's  laws.  Why  is  she  called  the 
mother  of  harlots?  And  why  is  she  called 
the  harlot  of  Babylon  the  great?  She 
is      the      mother      of      all      constitutional 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  291 

laws  governing  every  kingdom  and 
society  on  earth  today.  The  laws  she  makes 
lead  people  into  death,  and  by  her  works  all 
the  nations  upon  earth  are  fallen.  She  is 
the  harlot  of  Babylon  the  great,  because 
she  rules  over  the  kings  in  the  world. 
Verse  18:  "And  the  woman  whom  thou 
sawest  is  the  great  city  which  reigneth  over 
the  kings  of  the  earth."  Babylon  refers 
here  to  things  in  the  world  and  not  to  the 
divided  Church  of  Christ.  The  mother  of 
harlots  is  of  Babylon.  She  reigns  over  the 
kings  of  the  earth.  The  kings  in  the  earth 
is  her  husband,  not  Christ.  She  gives  them 
her  sons  to  die  in  times  of  war. 

12  And  the  ten  horns  that  thou  sawest  are  ten  kings, 
who  have  received  no  kingdom  as  yet;  but  they 
receive  authority  as  kings,  with  the  beast,  for, one 
hour.  13  These  have  one  mind,  and  they  give  their 
power  and  authority  unto  the  beast. 

This  shows  us  that  these  ten  kings 
reign  before  the  beast,  for  they  give  their 
power  and  authority  to  the  beast. 

14  These  shall  war  against  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb 
shall  overcome   them,   for  he  is   Lord   of   lords,  and 


292  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

King  of  kings ;  and  they  also  shall  overcome  that 
are  with  him,  called  and  chosen  and  faithful. 

We  see  this  fulfilled  in  chapter  19: 
11-21. 

15  And  he  saith  unto  me,  The  waters  which  thou 
sawest,  where  the  harlot  sitteth,  are  peoples,  and 
multitudes,   and  nations,  and  tongues. 

Notice  in  verse  1  that  this  harlot  sits 
on  many  waters,  and  here  in  verse  15  the 
angel  tells  John  what  these  waters  are. 
Therefore  does  this  harlot  sit  in  every 
capital  city  of  nations  and  states,  in  their 
legislative  halls  and  in  many  church  confer- 
ences to  make  laws  aside  from  and  in  oppo- 
sition to  those  which  God  gave  us  through 
His  Son  and  apostles.  She  thus  dishonors 
the  perfect  Law  Giver  and  she  dishonors 
His  chosen  ambassadors  because  their  laws 
are  set  aside.  She  dishonors  them  in  the 
same  way  as  Belshazzar  dishonored  the 
sanctified  vessels  of  the  temple  of  God. 
The  Antichrist  will  do  this  blasphemous 
work  in  the  full  measure  of  His  wickedness. 

16  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest,  and  the 
beast,  these  shall  hate  the  harlot,  and  shall  make  her 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  293 

desolate  and  naked,  and  shall  eat  her  flesh,  and  shall 
burn  her  utterly  with  fire. 

The  Lord  will  destroy  her  by  means  of 
her  lovers.  She  joined  herself  to  the  kings 
of  the  earth  and  God  put  hatred  in  the 
hearts  of  the  kings  that  they  should  destro; 
her.  Remember  how  the  Jews  rejected 
Christ  and  chose  for  themselves  Caesar  of 
Rome  and  then  how  God  punished  them 
afterwards  through  Caesar. 

17  For  God  did  put  in  their  hearts  to  do  his  mind, 
and  to  come  to  one  mind,  and  to  give  their  kingdom 
unto  the  beast,  until  the  words  of  God  should  be 
accomplished. 

God  has  willed  the  kingdom  to  Christ 
and  His  saints:  therefore  will  the  Words  of 
God's  judgments  also  be  accomplished  upon 
the  ten  kings  and  on  the  beast  and  He  will 
take  it  from  them  in  order  to  give  it  to 
Christ  and  His  saints. 

18  And  the  woman  vhom  thou  sawest  is  the  great 
city,  which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

BABYLON  THE  GREAT  FALLEN 

This  18th  chapter  of  Revelation  con- 
nects us  again  with  Israel's  history  in  the 
captivity  of  Babylon,  their  deliverance  and 
the  terrible  judgment  of  God  upon  Babylon. 
At  that  time  Babylon  was  the  capital  city  of 
the  world,  the  home  of  the  greatest  king  of 
the  world.  It  was  this  king  who  conquered 
Jerusalem,  the  city  of  God,  and  destroyed 
its  temple ;  broke  down  the  city  and  its  wall. 
King  Nebuchadnezzar  took  Israel  captive 
to  Babylon.  He  took  also  the  golden  and 
silver  vessels  that  were  sanctified  for  God's 
service  in  the  temple  and  put  them  intc 
the  house  of  his  god  in  Babylon  (Dan. 
1:2).  According  to  history  the  city  of 
Babylon  itself  surpassed  in  beauty  every- 
thing on  earth  in  the  way  of  architecture. 
It  was  the  attraction  of  the  world,  as  Jeru- 
salem was  in  the  time  of  Solomon.  Let  us 
therefore  have  this  clearly  in  mind,  that  the 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  295 

Babylon  of  old  under  which  Israel  was 
captive  was  then  the  ruling  city  in  the 
world.  This  Babylon  and  its  kingdom  is 
the  true  shadow  of  the  present  spiritual 
Babylon  of  our  age,  in  which  the  spiritual 
Israel,  the  Christians,  are  in  captivity,  to- 
gether with  also  the  bride  of  Christ  and  all 
Christian  denominations,  without  exception. 
The  kingdom  of  the  world  rules  over  us  and 
over  all  the  Jews.  The  church  of  Christ 
did  not  overcome  to  remain  on  the  founda- 
tion in  keeping  the  commandments  of 
Christ  and  His  apostles,  therefore  went  into 
the  captivity  of  Babylon  as  Israel  had  gone. 
However  Israel  was  not  to  remain  there,  for 
deliverance  was  promised  to  them,  and  it 
came  in  due  time.  So  it  is  with  us.  But  let 
us  not  overlook  the  fact  that  Israel  over- 
came in  that  state  of  captivity  to  honor  God 
and  His  law  more  than  any  earthly  king 
and  its  laws.  This  was  fulfilled  before  the 
eyes  of  the  then  greatest  kings  and  all  the 
world,  in  the  persons  of  the  three  men  in 
the  fiery  furnace  and  by  Daniel  in  the  lion's 
den.    The  three  men  conquered  in  the  test 


296  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

and  did  not  worship  the  golden  image, 
against  the  commandment  of  the  king;  and 
Daniel  conquered  in  the  test  and  would  not 
pray  to  king  Darius.  Daniel  also  overcame 
to  do  the  work  for  his  people  which  was 
required  in  the  law  of  Moses,  as  a  condition 
to  their  release  out  of  the  land  of  captivity. 
Repentance  and  confession  of  sins  were 
required  and  this  is  what  Daniel  did.  (See 
Dan.  9  and  Lev.  26:38-45).  I  remark  again, 
let  us  understand  clearly  that  the  Babylon 
of  old  in  which  Israel  was  captive  and  out 
of  which  they  were  released,  is  the  true 
shadow  of  the  Babylon  here  in  Rev.  18. 
The  judgment  upon  the  building  of  the 
tower  of  Babel  is  not  to  be  used  here  as  a 
type ;  (that  is  to  be  used  as  a  shadow,  but  in 
its  right  place).  It  is  true  that  the  confusion 
of  the  languages  at  the  building  of  the 
tower  of  Babel  is  a  shadow  of  the  confusion 
of  spiritual  doctrine  among  the  Christians 
today.  But  God  has  prophesied  to  heal  this' 
confusion.  These  people  are  not  to  be 
destroyed  but  the  Babylon  in  the  world  is 
to  be  destroyed.     The  mother  of  harlots; 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  297 

Babylon  the  great,  is  not  the  type  of  the  spir- 
itually defiled  church  today,  but  she  is  the 
mother  of  the  defiled  church.  She  has 
many  daughters  in  the  Church.  But  the 
mother  of  all  harlots,  is  the  Babylon  that; 
has  the  kingdom  and  reigns  over  the  kings 
in  the  earth.  To  a  backslidden  church  like 
the  Laodicean,  the  spirit  brings  repentance 
by  means  of  the  great  tribulation;  (Rev. 
7:14)  but  the  mother  of  harlots,  Babylon 
the  great,  does  not  repent  and  is  therefore 
doomed  to  destruction.  We  are  therefore 
commanded  to  come  out  of  her  and  even 
lay  the  judgment  of  God  upon  her  as  we 
shall  see  in  this  chapter. 

Rev.  18:1-24.  After  these  things  I  saw  another 
angel  coming  down  out  of  heaven,  having  great 
authority;  and  the  earth  was  lightened  with  his 
glory  (probably  the  same  angel  as  in  chapter  10). 
2  And  he  cried  with  a  mighty  voice,  saying,  Fallen, 
fallen  is  Babylon  the  great,  and  is  become  a  habita- 
tion of  demons,  and  a  hold  of  every  unclean  spirit, 
and  a  hold  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird. 

Since  Christ  and  His  prophets  and  His 
apostles  in  their  teaching  have  been  so  dis- 


298  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

honored,  therefore  God  withdraws  His  pro- 
tection from  this  city  and  it  becomes  a 
habitation  of  demons,  unclean  spirits  and 
birds,  likely  referring  to  persons  full  of  dis- 
honesty, lovers  of  money,  and  so  on. 

3.  For  by  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her 
fornication  all  the  nations  are  fallen;  and  the  kings 
of  the  earth  committed  fornication  with  her,  and  the 
merchants  of  the  earth  waxed  rich  by  the  power  of 
her  wantonness. 

She  made  the  laws  for  all  the  nations 
and  by  her  work  they  all  fell.  No  other 
law  but  Christ's  will  stand.  The  kings  of 
the  earth  committed  fornication  with  her. 
Do  you  now  see,  dear  Brother,  from  what 
things  you  are  to  come  out  of,  since  all 
nations  and  kings  of  the  earth  are  fallen. 
We  are  not  to  come  out  from  the  people  for 
then  we  would  have  to  get  out  of  the  world 
altogether,  but  from  the  works  of  the  harlot 
of  Babylon;  and  from  her  laws  and  teach- 
ing of  fornication  towards  God's  Word. 
This  harlot  of  Babylon  in  her  law-making 
power  has  given  the  peoples  and  nations  on 
earth  the  right  to  use  the  oath  which  Christ 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  299 

has  strictly  forbidden.  She  gives  man  and 
wife  the  right  to  divorce,  which  the  New 
Testament  forbids.  She  brings  the  Chris- 
tian man  under  oath  and  to  use  the  sword 
which  Christ  forbids  His  Church  to  do. 
She  is  the  stumbling  block  to  many  a  Chris- 
tian in  going  to  law  with  his  brother  or 
fellow  man,  which  the  law  of  Christ  forbids. 
(The  reader  may  turn  to  the  following 
passages:  Matt.  5:31-40;  19:3-9;  I  Cor.  7: 
10,  11;  Jas.  5:12;  Rev.  13:9,  10).  She  takes 
some  of  Moses'  laws  which  Christ  has  set 
aside  and  raises  them  up  for  the  nations  and 
people  to  obey,  proving  by  that,  that  she 
is  a  teacher  of  the  Bible,  that  her  laws  are 
God's  words.  From  these  works  of  fornica- 
tion, the  people  of  God  are  commanded  to 
come  out  as  we  shall  see  in  the  next  verse. 

4.  And  I  heard  anuthei  v^oice  from  heaven,  saying-, 
Come  forth,  my  people,  out  of  her,  that 
ye  have  no  fellowship  with  her  sins,  and  that  ye 
receive  not  of  her  plagues: 

Notice  for  what  reason  we  should  come 
out  of  her.  God  wants  to  save  His  people 
from  having  any  fellowship  with  her  sins, 


300  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

SO  as  not  to  receive  any  of  her  plagues. 
This  I  believe  is  the  warning  of  God  to  His 
people,  to  come  out  of  these  legislative  halls 
and  law-making  bodies,  and  out  of  all  secret 
and  non-secret  societies,  which  have  a  con^ 
stitutional  law  that  severs  men  and  women 
from  the  words  of  Christ.  The  word,  "come 
out"  implies  that  the  people  of  God  were  in 
them  heretofore;  but  since  the  judgment  of 
God  is  about  to  come  upon  her,  therefore 
the  command  to  come  out  and  not  to  have 
fellowship  with  her  sins,  so  as  to  not  receive 
of  her  plagues. 

5.  for  her  sins  have  reached  even  unto  heaven, 
and  God  hath  remembered  her  iniquities.  6 
Render  unto  her  even  as  she  rendered,  and  double 
unto  her  the  double  according  to  her  works:  in  the 
cup  which  she  mingled,  mingle  unto  her  double.  7 
How  much  soever  she  glorified  herself,  and  waxed 
wanton,  so  much  give  her  of  torment  and  mourning: 
for  she  saith  in  her  heart,  I  sit  a  queen,  and  am  no 
wudow,  and  shall  in  no  wise  see  mourning.  8  The 
fore  in  one  day  shall  her  plagues  come,  death,  and 
mourning,  and  famine ;  and  she  shall  be  utterly 
burned  with  fire ;  for  strong  is  the  Lord  God  who 
judged  her. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  301 

She  is  a  queen,  because  the  kings  of 
the  earth  are  her  husbands,  so  to  speak.  In 
verse  5  it  says — "her  sins  have  even 
reached  unto  heaven,"  because  she  has  dis- 
honored God's  Son  and  His  ambassadors 
whom  God  Himself  did  send  to  give  all  the 
nations  a  law  of  life.  The  harlot  has  reject- 
ed them  and  has  caused  all  the  nations 
(which  are  God's  too)  to  fall ;  therefore  her 
sins  have  reached  even  unto  heaven. 
Notice  the  twofold  work  which  we  are 
commanded  to  do  in  verses  4  and  6.  The 
first  is  to  come  out  of  her;  the  next,  to 
render  unto  her  the  double  for  the  harm 
she  did  to  the  people  of  God.  She  shall  be 
utterly  burned  with  fire.  For  us  to  call  this 
judgment  upon  her  is  surely  right,  con- 
sidering the  harm  she  did — she  caused  all 
nations  to  fall:  "And  in  her  was  found  the 
blood  of  prophets  and  of  saints,  and  of  all 
that  had  been  slain  upon  the  earth." 
Should  such  a  harlot  be  tolerated  any  long- 
er on  God's  earth?  How  do  we  stand  in 
enmity  toward  her  and  how  do  we  stand 
towards  God's  command  here  in  verses  4-8 


302  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

to  obey  it  fully?  Notice  how  the  words  of 
Jer.  51 :6-9,  are  almost  identical  with  these 
here  in  Rev.  18:4-6.  The  prophet  gave 
command  to  Israel  to  flee  out  of  Babylon 
when  her  judgment  was  about  to  come.  In 
like  manner  this  voice  from  heaven  here  in 
Rev.  18  commands  God's  people  to  come 
out  of  Babylon,  because  the  time  for  the 
judgment  has  come.  God  used  His  ser- 
vants Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  to  lay  the  words 
of  His  judgments  upon  Babylon;  He  used 
Daniel  tc  explain  to  the  king  of  Babylon 
tlie  handwriting  on  the  wall,  which  was  the 
sentence  of  his  dethronement. 

9-24.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  who  committed 
iornication  and  lived  wantonly  with  her,  shall 
weep  and  wail  over  'her,  wfhen  they  look  upon  the 
smoke  of  her  burning,  10  standing  afar  of¥  for  the 
fear  of  her  torment,  saying,  Woe,  woe,  the  great 
city,  Babylon,  the  strong  city !  for  in  one  hour  is 
thy  judgment  come.  11  And  the  merchants  of  the 
•earth  weep  and  mourn  over  her,  for  no  man  buyeth 
their  merchandise  any  more ;  12  merchandise  of 
gold,  and  silver,  and  precious  stone,  and  pearls,  and 
•:fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  silk,  and  scarlet ;  and  all 
thyine  wood,  and  every  vessel  of  ivory,  and  every 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  303 

vessel  made  of  most  precious  wood,  and  of  brass, 
and  iron,  and  marble;  13  and  cinnamon,  and  spice, 
and  incense,  and  ointment,  and  frankincense,  and 
wine,  and  oil,  and  fine  flour,  and  wheat,  and  cattle, 
and  sheep;  and  merchandise  of  horses  and  chariots 
and  slaves;  and  souls  of  men.  14  And  the  fruits 
which  thy  soul  lusted  after  are  gone  from  thee,  and 
all  things  that  were  dainty  and  sumptuous  are  per- 
ished from  thee,  and  men  shall  find  them  no  more  at 
all.  15  The  merchants  of  these  things,  who  were 
made  rich  by  her,  shall  stand  afar  off  for  the  fear  of 
her  torment,  weeping  and  mourning;  16  saying, 
Woe,  woe,  the  great  city,  she  that  was  arrayed  in 
fine  linen  and  purple  and  scarlet,  and  decked  with 
gold  and  precious  stone  and  pearl!  17  for  in  one 
hour  so  great  riches  is  made  desolate.  And  every 
shipmaster,  and  every  one  that  saileth  any  whither, 
and  mariners,  and  as  many  as  gain  their  living  by 
sea,  stood  afar  off,  18  and  cried  out  as  they  looked 
upon  the  smoke  of  her  burning,  saying,  What  city  is 
like  the  great  city?  19  And  they  cast  dust  on  their 
heads,  and  cried,  weeping  and  mourning,  saying, 
Woe,  woe,  the  great  city,  wherein  all  that  had  their 
ships  in  the  sea  were  made  rich  by  reason  of  her 
costliness !  for  in  one  hour  is  she  made  desolate.  20 
Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  saints,  and  yq 
apostles,  and  ye  prophets ;  for  God  hath  judged  your 
judgment  on  her.     21  xAnd  a  strong  angel  took  up  a 


304  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

stone  as  it  were  a  great  millstone  and  cast  it  into  the 
sea,  saying,  Thus  with  a  mighty  fall  shall  Babylon, 
the  great  city,  be  cast  down,  and  shall  be  found  no 
more  at  all.  (Compare  this  verse  21,  with  Jeremiah 
51 :60-64.)  22  And  the  voice  of  harpers  and 
minstrels  and  flute-players  and  trumpeters  shall  be 
heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee;  and  no  craftsman,  of 
whatsoever  craft,  shall  be  found  any  more  at  all  in 
thee;  and  the  voice  of  a  mill  shall  be  heard  no  more 
at  all  in  thee;  23  and  the  light  of  a  lamp  shall  shine 
no  more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  the  voice  of  the  bride- 
groom and  of  the  bride  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all 
in  thee:  for  thy  merchants  were  the  princes  of  the 
earth;  for  with  thy  sorcery  were  all  the  nations 
deceived.  24  And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of 
prophets  and  of  saints,  and  of  all  that  have  been 
slain  upon  the   earth. 

The  above  verses  of  Rev.  18  need  no 
explanation,  but  simply  to  believe  in  their 
literal  fulfillment  as  the  prophecies  of  the 
prophets  were  literally  fulfilled  in  the 
Babylon  of  old.  When  God  brought  His 
judgment  upon  the  Chaldean  kingdom  for 
the  wrong  it  did  to  Israel,  He  did  not 
'destroy  every  city  of  that  kingdom.  Only 
Babylon  was  to  be  destroyed  utterly,  so 
much  so  that  no  person  should  ever  live  in 


THE     BOOK     OF     REVELATION  305 

it  anymore;  only  wild  animals,  and  unclean 

and  hateful  birds  should  make  their  abode 

there.    That  prophecy  was  literally  fulfilled 

in  Babylon  up  to  this  day  (Jer.  50:39,  40). 

We  may  also  be  assured  that  when   God 

shall  destroy  the  Babylon  of  Rev.  18  that 

not   every   city   in   that   kingdom   will    be 

burned  utterly,  but  very  likely  every  chosen 

city  of  the  nations  and  states  in  whom  the 

harlot  rules  by  making  laws  for  the  people 

to  sever  them  from  the  teachings  of  Christ. 

When  God  brought  the  judgment  upon  the 

wicked  nations  in  Canaan  at  the  time  when 

Israel  took  the  land  into  possession,  only 

the   great  city  Jericho  was  to   be   utterly 

destroyed.     So  here  in  Rev.    18,   Babylon 

shall  be  utterly  burnt  with  fire.    We  have 

read  in  chapter  17,  that  this  harlot  sits  on 

many  waters  and  these  waters  are,  people, 

multitudes,  nations,  and  tongues.     So  she 

dwells  not  in  one  material  city  alone  but  in 

many  of  them.    The  word  "city"  is  applied 

in  the  Bible,  not  only  to  a  material  city,  but 

also  to  a  body  of  people  and  even  to  a 

single  person.    The  Lord  told  Jeremiah  "I 


306  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

have  made  thee  this  day  a  fortified  city" 
(Jer.  1 :18)..  Jesus  spoke  of  His  disciples  as 
a  city  on  a  hill.  Jeremiah  was  made  a 
fortified  city  because  God  put  His  words 
into  his  mouth.  The  law  of  God  in  our 
hearts  and  minds  makes  a  single  believer  a 
fortified  city.  It  is  the  same  with  a  number 
of  believers.  All  Christians  who  keep 
Christ's  words  are  one  city,  though  they 
are  scattered  all  over  the  world.  So  with 
the  harlot  of  Babylon.  She  is  one  city 
although  she  sits  on  the  many  peoples, 
multitudes,  tongues,  and  nations.  All  the 
laws  made  by  men  to  rule  the  nations  in  the 
world  is  the  spiritual  city  of  Babylon,  just 
as  all  the  saints  who  keep  Christ's  teaching 
are  the  city  of  God.  But  a  city  also 
consists  of  a  material  dwelling  place,  a 
collective  body  of  people,  a  law  to  rule 
them  and  material  houses  to  live  in.  The 
Babylon  of  Revelation  18  is  therefore  very 
likely  not  one  city  but  many  cities  together 
of  the  same  spirit  and  people.  Babylon  is  a 
confusion,  because  of  its  many,  many  dif- 
ferent laws;  and  there  is  always  from  time 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  307 

to  time  strife  and  war  between  them.  They 
have  never  been  able  to  make  a  law  for  the 
nations  on  earth  to  make  peace  between 
them.  This  great  harlot  of  Babylon  and 
mother  of  harlots  has  caused  much  blood 
shed  on  earth  so  that  the  word  in  this 
chapter  says,  "In  her  was  found  the  blood 
of  prophets  and  of  saints,  and  of  all  that 
have  been  slain  upon  the  earth."  There  is 
a  great  song  of  lamentation  heard  over  the 
fall  of  Babylon,  from  the  kings  on  earth 
and  from  the  merchants  because  they  can 
not  sell  their  precious  and  costly  goods  any 
more  to  this  proud  harlot  who  lived  in 
luxury  and  pride;  also  the  ship  men  lament 
over  her  destruction  because  of  the  loss  in 
their  traffic  on  the  sea.  This  Babylon  is 
made  a  waste  like  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 
in  which  everything  was  destroyed — the 
people,  the  wealth,  and  the  material  city. 
No  one  could  sell  to  those  luxurious  cities 
goods  of  any  kind  now.  No  sailor  could 
have  any  trade  from  them  anymore.  No 
king  on  earth  could  claim  these  cities  to 
rule  over  them  any  longer.    Oh,  what  a  loss 


308  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

to  them  all!  What  a  song  of  wailing  and 
lamentation  is  heard  here  in  Revelation  18 
over  the  burning  up  of  this  city  of  Babylon! 
But  heaven  is  singing  and  rejoicing  over 
her  fall.  ''Rejoice  over  her  thou  heaven, 
and  ye  saints,  and  ye  apostles,  and  ye 
prophets;  for  God  hath  judged  your  judg- 
ment on   her." 


CHAPTER  XIX 
THE  FOUR-FOLD   HALLELUJAH 

Rev.  19:1-21.  After  these  things  I  heard  as  it 
were  a  great  voice  of  a  great  multitude  in  heaven, 
saying. 

Hallelujah;     Salvation,    and    glory,    and    power, 

belong  to  our  God:   2  for  true  and  righteous  are 

his   judgments;     for   he   hath   judged   the   great 

harlot,    her   that   corrupted   the    earth   with   her 

fornication,  and  he  hath  avenged  the  blood   of 

his  servants  at  her  hand. 

3  And  a  second  time  they  say,  Hallelujah.     And  her 

smoke  goeth  up  for  ever  and  ever.     4  And  the  four 

and  twenty  elders  and  the  four  living  creatures  fell 

down  and  worshipped  God  that  sitteth  on  the  throne, 

saying.    Amen;     Hallelujah.      5    And   a   voice    came 

forth  from  the  throne,  saying. 

Give  praise  to  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants,  ye 
that  fear  him,  the  small  and  the  great. 
6  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great  mul- 
titude, and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the 
voice  of  mighty  thunders,  saying, 

Hallelujah:  for  the  Lord  our  God,  the  Ah 
mighty,  reigneth.  7  Let  us  rejoice  and  be  ex- 
ceeding glad,  and  let  us  give  the  glory  unto  him : 


310  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his 
wife  hath  made  herself  ready.  8  And  it  was 
given  unto  her  that  she  should  array  herself  in 
fine  linen,  bright  and  pure:  for  the  fine  linen  is 
the  righteous  acts  of  the  saints. 

9  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  they 
that  are  bidden  to  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb. 
And  he  saith  unto  me,  These  are  true  words  of  God. 

10  And  I  fell  down  before  his  feet  to  worship  him. 
And  he  saith  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not:  I  am  a 
fellow-servant  with  thee  and  with  thy  brethren  that 
hold  the  testimony  of  Jesus :  worship  God :  for  the 
testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy. 

These  words  above  need  no  explana- 
tion; there  is  no  figurative  language  used. 
They  are  not  dark  or  sealed  words,  but 
plain  to  every  one's  understanding.  We  are 
to  read  them  and  to  keep  them  and  believe 
that  their  fulfillment  is  at  hand.  Heaven  is 
rejoicing  "in  a  fourfold  Hallelujah  to  God" 
because  He  has  judged  the  great  harlot, 
this  great  enemy  of  prophets,  apostles  and 
saints,  and  the  great  enemy  of  God,  be- 
cause she  has  killed  His  servants.  The 
great  multitudes  in  heaven  praise  God  with 
a  Halleluiah.     The  twenty-four  elders  and 


THE     BOOK    OF    REVELATION  311 

the  four  living  creatures  fall  down  before 
Him  saying,  "Amen,"  and  giving  a  twofold 
Hallelujah.  All  of  God's  servants,  the 
great  and  the  small,  as  a  great  multitude 
are  called  to  praise  God;  and  they  too  give 
a  Hallelujah.  Hallelujah  is  an  expression 
of  great  praise  to  God,  because  of  an  as- 
sured victory  or  blessing  of  salvation  from 
Him  to  His  people.  The  praise  of  these 
repeated  Hallelujahs  does  not  only  refer  to 
the  judgment  of  the  great  harlot,  but  these 
praises  are  given  to  God  because  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Lamb  has  now  come.  His  wife 
has  made  herself  ready.  She  has  come  out 
of  Babylon  and  she  has  fulfilled  her  mis- 
sion towards  the  great  harlot  of  Babylon. 
The  marriage  of  the  Lamb  can  not  come 
until  the  bride  of  Christ  has  come  out  of 
Babylon  and  has  finished  her  part  of  the 
judgment  upon  Babylon.  "Rejoice  over  her 
thou  heaven,  and  ye  saints,  and  ye  apostles, 
and  ye  prophets;  for  God  has  judged  your 
judgment  on  her"  (Rev.  18:20).  The  har- 
lot is  now  dishonored,  but  the  wife  of  the 
Lamb  is  glorified.    It  is  given  unto  her  that 


312  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

she  should  array  herself  in  fine  linen, 
bright  and  pure.  She  must  have  this  glor- 
ious apparel  in  order  to  be  ready  for  the 
marriage  of  the  Lamb.  Think  of  Moses, 
how  his  face  was  glorified  and  how  his  eyes 
did  not  grow  dim  nor  his  strength  weaken 
to  his  old  age  of  120  years.  Think  of 
Stephen,  as  he  defended  Christ  before  the 
Jewish  counsel;  "And  all  that  sat  in  the 
counsel,  fastening  their  eyes  on  him,  saw 
his  face  as  it  had  been  the  face  of  an  angel" 
(Acts  6:15).  But  it  says  that  the  fine  linen, 
**is  the  righteous  acts  of  the  saints."  Look 
at  the  righteous  acts  of  the  saints  on  earth, 
in  the  following  passages — Revelation  7:14, 
15;    12:11;    14:1-5,  12;    1:3;    22:6,  7. 

"And  he  saith  unto  me.  Write,  Blessed 
are  they  that  are  bidden  to  the  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb."  This  invitation  to 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  can  hard- 
ly refer  to  the  bride.  The  bride  is  not 
bidden  to  the  marriage  supper,  but  the 
guests  are  bidden  and  it  is  the  bride  that 
does  a  great  part  of  the  bidding.  As  a  rule, 
a  marriage  consists  of  a  number  of  guests 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  313 

which  are  friends  and  relatives  of  the  bride- 
groom and  bride.    So  we  may  well  believe. 
that  there  will  be  many  guests  at  the  mar- 
riage supper  of  the  Lamb  who  are  not  of 
the  bride  but  very  dear  friends  of  both  the 
bridegroom  and  bride.     But  who  are  they 
that  are  bidden  to  the  marriage  supper  of 
the   Lamb?     Why,   you!    .Even   yourself. 
Who  is  cut  off  from  the  marriage  supper  of 
the  Lamb?    Those  that  reject  the  invitation. 
The  reader  may  turn  to  Luke  14:16-24.    In 
this  passage  you  will  see  yourself  also  bid- 
den to  the  supper.    Those  who  accept  the 
invitation  to  the  supper,  but  do  not  put  on 
the  wedding  garment  (the  blood  washed  gar- 
ment of  Christ)  will  also  be  refused  a  part 
in  this  supper.  See  Matt.  22:1-14.  Who  can 
say  in  the  light  of  these  scriptures,  that  he 
is  not  bidden  and  that  he  does  not  know 
what   is   needful   to   have   in   order  to   be 
admitted?     Think  of  the  prodigal   son   in 
Luke  15:11-24.  First,  what  he  did;  and  then 
what  he  received  as  a  free  gift  to  be  admit- 
ted to  the  feast.    Say!  dear  reader,  has  God 
made  it  hard  for  you  to  be  ready  for  the 


314  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb?  Does  God 
not  invite  you?  Are  you  rejected  because 
you  have  been  a  terrible  sinner?  Are  your 
sins  red  like  crimson?  There  is  a  remedy 
given  to  wash  them  all  away.  "Come  now, 
and  let  us  reason  together,  saith  Jehovah: 
though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall 
be  as  white  as  snow;  though  they  be  red 
like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool"  (Isa. 
1:18).  Hear  the  invitation — 'The  Spirit 
and  the  bride  say,  Come.  A.nd  he  that 
heareth,  let  him  say,  Come.  And  he  that  is 
athirst  let  him  come:  he  that  will,  let  him 
take  of  the  water  of  life  freely"  (Rev.  22: 
17).  Tell  me  that  you  are  not  invited,  then 
I  will  tell  you  that  you  are  sinning  against 
God's  Word  and  the  devil  has  deceived  you 
with  a  lie.  Did  not  God  offer  pardon  to 
those  people  who  killed  His  Son  and  did  He 
not  save  3,000  of  them  at  Pentecost?  They 
were  guilty  of  murder,  their  sins  were 
indeed  red  like  crimson:  but  in  less  than 
one  day  these  murderers  were  adopted  into 
the  royal  family  of  God.  Your  many  sins 
can  not  be  a  hindrance  by  cutting  you  off 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  3l5 

from  having  part  at  the  marriage  supper  of 
the  Lamb,  if  you  but  repent  and  do  as  the 
3,000  murderers   did   at   Pentecost.     They 
asked,  "What  shall  we  do?"     "And  Peter 
said  unto  them.  Repent  ye,  and  be  baptized 
every   one   of  you   in   the  name   of   Jesus 
Christ  unto  remission  of  your  sins;  and  ye 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
For  to  you   is  the  promise,   and  to  your 
children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as 
many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call  unto 
him"    (Acts  2:37-39).     God  calls   all   men 
unto  Him  and  commands  them  all  to  repent 
and  to  believe  in  His  Son.     The  house  of 
God  is  a  very  great  house  and  He  wants 
His  house  to  be  full  with  guests  at  the  mar- 
riage  supper   of   His   Son.     And  you   are 
bidden  to  come. 

After  the  angel  showed  to  John  these 
things  from  chapter  17:1  to  19:9  he  fell 
down  to  worship  the  angel;  but  the  angel 
did  not  accept  his  worship  and  told  John  to 
worship  God.  The  angel  showed  John  and 
so  us  also,  the  harlot  of  Babylon  and  her 
judgment:  and  he  also  showed  us  the  wife 


316  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

of  the  Lamb  as  having  made  herself  ready 
and  beirfg  arrayed  in  fine  linen  bright  and 
pure.  Therefore  has  the  time  now  come 
for  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  The 
marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  is  not  de- 
scribed to  us  in  detail  except  to  a  small 
extent  in  chapter  12.  Here  it  speaks  of  the 
woman  in  heaven  and  on  earth  fleeing  into 
the  wilderness  to  be  nourished  for  a  time 
and  times  and  half  a  time,  thus  connecting 
us  with  Israel's  meeting  with  God  in  the 
wilderness  by  Mt.  Sinai,  where  Israel  re- 
ceived the  law,  the  priesthood  and  the 
tabernacle.  As  the  giving  of  the  law  at  Mt. 
Sinai  is  typical  of  the  coming  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  at  Pentecost  so  it  is  also  typical  of 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  Further- 
more, Moses  and  the  elders  in  Israel  had  a 
feast  on  the  Mount.  "And  they  saw  the 
God  of  Israel ;  and  there  was  under  his  feet 
as  it  were  a  paved  work  of  sapphire  stone, 
and  as  it  were  the  very  heaven  for  clear- 
ness" (Ex.  24:9,  10).  Here  at  Mt.  Sinai  was 
the  place  where  God  came  down  from 
heaven,   through   His   angel,   to   meet  His 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  317 

people,  that  He  might  dwell  among  them 
afterwards.  No  other  place  in  all  their 
history  did  God  manifest  Himself  to  His 
people  Israel  as  He  did  in  the  wilderness  at 
Sinai.  Here  was  the  place  where  Israel  was 
gloriously  organized  for  the  wars  in  Canaan 
and  for  the  service  of  God.  That  is  the 
shadow  of  how  Jesus  shall  organize  His 
saints  at  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb, 
as  an  army  of  God's  chosen  ones  from  all 
nations  in  the  world,  to  come  with  Him  to 
take  in  the  kingdom  of  this  world,  as  we 
shall  now  see  in  the  remainder  of  this 
chapter. 

11-13.  And  I  saw  the  heaven  opened;  and  be- 
hold, a  white  horse,  and  he  that  sat  thereon 
called  Faithful  and  True ;  and  in  righteousness  he 
doth  judge  and  make  war.  12  And  his  eyes  are  a 
flame  of  fire,  and  upon  his  head  are  many  diadems; 
and  he  hath  a  name  written  which  no  one  knoweth 
but  he  himself.  13  And  he  is  arrayed  in  a  garment 
sprinkled  with  blood:  and  his  name  is  called  The 
Word  of  God. 

No  doubt  but  what  this  is  the  very 
Christ  coming  now  from  the  marriage  with 
His  chosen  ones  who  did  follow  Him. 


318  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

14-16.  And  the  armies  which  are  in  heaven  fol- 
lowed him  upon  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  Hnen, 
white  and  pure.  (Is  that  not  His  Bride?  See  verse 
8.)  15  And  out  of  his  mouth  proceedeth  a  sharp 
sword,  that  with  it  he  should  smite  the  nations :  and 
he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron :  and  he  tread- 
eth  the  winepress  of  the  fierceness  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  the  Almighty.  16  And  he  hath  on  his  garment 
and  on  his  thigh  a  name  written,  KING  OF  KINGS, 
AND  LORD  OF  LORDS. 

This  must  be  Jesus  Himself  and  His 
chosen  saints  coming  with  Him  from  heav- 
en to  carry  out  God's  judgment  upon  the 
Antichrist  and  his  whole  kingdom.  It  is 
about  like  Israel  when  they  went  up  from 
Sinai  towards  Canaan,  to  carry  out  God's 
judgment  upon  the  wicked  nations  and 
kings  in  Canaan.  Then  they  took  the  land 
into  possession,  for  it  was  willed  unto  them* 
by  God  through  Abraham.  Israel  had  the 
promise  of  the  land  of  Canaan  only,  but  tq 
Christ  all  the  earth  is  promised,  "Ask  of 
me,  and  I  will  give  thee  the  nations  for  thy 
inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth  for  thy  possession  (Psa.  2:8).  It  is 
also  a  fulfillment  of  Daniel's  prophecy.    **I 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  319 

saw  in  the  night  visions,  and,  behold,  there 
came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven  one  like 
unto  a  son  of  man,  and  he  came  even  unto 
the  ancient  of  days,  and  they  brought  him 
before  him.  And  there  was  given  him 
dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that 
all  the  peoples,  nations,  and  languages, 
should  serve  him:  his  dominion  is  an  ever- 
lasting dominion,  which  shall  not  pass 
away,  and  His  kingdom  that  which  shall 
not  be  destroyed"  (Dan.  7:13,  14).  He  now 
dethrones  the  Antichrist  as  is  reveaied  in 
the  following  verses. 

17-21.  And  I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the 
sun ;  and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying  to 
all  the  birds  that  fly  in  mid  heaven,  Come  and  h(\ 
gathered  together  unto  the  great  supper  of  God;  18 
that  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of 
captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh 
of  horses  and  of  them  that  sit  thereon,  and  the  flesh 
of  all  men,  both  free  and  bond,  and  small  and  greatl 
19  And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth, 
and  their  armies,  gathered  together  to  make  war 
against  him  that  sat  upon  the  horse,  and  against  his 
army.  20  And  the  beast  was  taken,  and  with  him 
the  false  prophet  that  wrought  the  signs  in  his  sight, 


320  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

wherewith  he  deceived  them  that  had  received  th^ 
mark  of  the  beast  and  them  that  worshipped  his 
image :  they  two  were  cast  alive  into  the  lake  of 
fire  that  burneth  with  brimstone:  21  and  the  rest 
were  killed  with  the  sword  of  him  that  sat  upon  the- 
horse,  even  the  sword  which  came  forth  out  of  his- 
mouth :    and  all  the  birds  were  filled  with  their  flesh. 

Again  we  need  to  believe  in  a  literal 
fulfillment  of  these  verses — 17  and  18,  that 
the  birds  of  mid  heaven  are  called  to  come 
together  to  eat  up  the  flesh  of  these  soldiera 
and  horses  who  make  war  against  Christ 
and  His  army  from  heaven.  Church  history 
tells  us  how  in  the  first  centuries  at  a 
certain  persecution  the  Christians  were  so 
shamefully  treated  that  their  bodies  were 
not  allowed  to  be  buried  but  were  left  for 
the  birds  to  eat.  Since  the  people  upon 
earth  did  not  confess  their  sins  that  God 
might  forgive  them,  therefore  does  God 
reward  them  according  to  their  sins.  As 
they  have  done  to  the  Christians  so  does 
God  measure  unto  them,  and  the  birds  of 
mid  heaven  are  called  on  to  be  gathered 
together  to  eat  up  their  flesh.    This  we  see 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  321 

fulfilled  in  verse  21  "And  all  the  birds  were 
filled  with  their  flesh."  God  must  be  just,  as 
well  as  merciful.  If  the  sinner  will  not  re- 
pent to  have  his  sins  forgiven  he  must  be 
punished  according  to  the  measure  of  his 
sins.  "For  with  what  judgment  ye  judge,  ye 
shall  be  judged"  (Matt.  7:2). 

Notice  in  verse  20  how  the  beast  (Anti- 
christ) and  the  false  'prophet  are  not  even 
allowed  to  die  like  those  in  verse  21.  Neither 
are  they  cast  into  hell,  but  they  are  cast  alive 
into  the  lake  of  fire  that  burneth  with  fire 
and  brimstone.  Thus  end  these  tv/o  great 
enemies  of  Christ  and  His  saints  who  sev- 
ered the  people  on  earth  from  the  words  of 
God.  God  the  Father  has  put  all  the  enemies 
of  Christ  under  the  soles  of  His  feet,  and 
under  His  feet  they  must  come.  The  rest  of 
that  great  army  are  not  killed  with  a  sword 
of  steel,  but  with  the  sword  of  God's  Word 
that  comes  out  of  the  mouth  of  Christ. 
The  above  verses  are  a  fulfillment  of  Paul's 
prophecy  in  II  Thess.  2:8.  "And  then  shall 
be  revealed  the  lawless  one,  whom  the  Lord 
Jesus    shall    slay   with    the    breath    of    his 


322  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

mouth,  and  bring  to  nought  by  the  manifes- 
tation of  his  coming."  This  prophecy  is 
fulfilled  here  in  Rev.  19:19-21. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  FIRST  RESURRECTION  AND 
REIGN  OF  CHRIST 

Rev.  20:1-15.  And  I  saw  an  angel  coming 
down  out  of  heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  abyss  and 
a  great  chain  in  his  hand.  2  And  he  laid  hold  on 
the  dragon,  the  old  serpent,  which  is  the  Devil  and 
Satan,  and  bound  him  for  a  thousand  years,  3  and 
cast  him  into  the  abyss,  and  shut  it,  and  sealed  it 
over  him,  that  he  should  deceive  the  nations  nof 
more,  until  the  thousand  years  should  be  finished: 
after  this  he  must  be  loosed  for  a  little  time. 

This  punishment  upon  Satan  is  also  a 
fulfillment  of  prophecy:  "In  that  day  Jeho- 
vah with   his   hard   and   great  and   strong 
sword  will  punish  leviathan  the  swift  ser- 
pent,  and   leviathan   the  crooked   serpent; 
and  he  will  slay  the  monster  that  is  in  the 
sea"  [In  the  nations  of  the  world,  (Isa.  27: 
1)].     "And  the  God  of  peace  shall  bruise 
Satan  under  your  feet  shortly"   (Rom.  16: 
20).    The  imprisonment  of  Satan  is  limited 
to  1000  years,  his  eternal  punishment  will 
come  later  on  in  this  chapter.     Since  the 


324  LIGHT     AND    LIFE   FROM 

eternal  judgment  of  God  has  come  upon 
the  beast  (Antichrist)  and  upon  the  false 
prophet,  also  the  other  judgment  upon 
their  armies  and  the  1000  years  imprison- 
ment upon  Satan  so  that  he  can  not  deceive 
the  nations,  nor  harm,  nor  even  tempt  any 
child  ^f  God  during  that  time,  therefore  the 
saints  and  the  world  have  perfect  rest. 
This  rest  is  the  Sabbathical  rest  as  the 
seventh  day.  The  seventh  day  as  a  day  of 
rest  and  of  great  blessing  above  the  other 
days,  was  first  celebrated  by  God  Himself  in 
the  creation.  "And  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  were  finished,  and  all  the  host  of  them. 
And  on  the  seventh  day  God  finished  his 
work  which  he  had  made;  and  he  rested  on 
the  seventh  day  from  all  his  work  which  he 
had  made.  And  God  blessed  the  seventh 
day,  and  hallowed  it;  because  that  in  it  he 
rested  from  all  his  work  which  God  had 
created  and  made"  (Gen.  2:1-3),  This  Sab- 
bath day  of  rest  and  blessing  was  after- 
wards strictly  commanded  to  be  kept  in  the 
law.  But  Israel  had  another  rest  command- 
ed to  them:  and  that  was  the  seventh  year 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  325 

of  rest.  Every  seventh  year  was  a  rest  year 
in  which  no  plowing  or  sowing  or  reaping 
was  to  be  done.  Since  we  have  in  Moses' 
law  not  only  a  rest  day,  but  a  rest  year 
foreshadowed  to  us,  therefore  we  shall  have 
a  Sabbathical  rest  of  1000  years  in  the 
gospel  of  Christ;  the  seventh  1000  years. 
According  to  Bible  history  we  are  near  the 
end  of  the  sixth  1000  years  and  therefore 
hear  the  prophesied  rest  of  the  seventh 
thousand  years.  The  people  of  God  and 
those  of  the  world  have  gone  through  many 
hard  labors  in  the  6000  years  but  there  is  a 
rest  for  them  near  at  hand,  since  even  the 
time  is  shortened. 

It  is  not  said  here  in  Rev.  20:1-3,  who 
this  angel  is  that  binds  Satan,  whether  it  is 
Christ  Himself,  or  one  whom  the  Father 
has  sent  with  such  a  power,  but  we  rejoice 
in  this  that  it  will  surely  come  to  pass.  We 
believe  in  the  literal  fulfillment  of  all  these 
words.  Oh,  how  we  should  appreciate  the 
words  of  prophecy  and  read  and  hear  and 
keep  them  through  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  us,  so  that  God  can  fulfill  them 


326  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

shortly,  according  as  He  has  said — "The 
time  is  at  hand"  (Rev.  1:1-3).  Do  we 
please  God  by  holding  these  words  of  God's 
judgment  upon  Satan  so  that  they  come  to 
pass  soon?  Or  are  we  careless  about  this 
important  workof  theChurch  and  give  Satan 
still  longer  time  to  rule  with  his  abominable 
works,  against  God  and  Christ,  and  the 
saints?  Satan  is  surely  not  bound  in  the 
world  today  He  is  very  busy  in  deceiving 
the  nations  and  even  Christians.  But  in 
the  1000  years  to  come,  he  can  not  deceive 
them  acc:)rding  to  the  above  passage  in 
Rev.  20:1-3. 

4-6,  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon 
them  and  judgment  was  given  unto  them:  and 
I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that  had  been  beheaded  for 
the  testimony  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of  God, 
and  such  as  worshipped  not  the  beast,  neither  his 
image,  and  received  not  the  mark  upon  their  fore-r 
head  and  upon  their  hand ;  and  they  lived,  and 
reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years.  5  The  rest  of 
the  dead  lived  not  until  the  thousand  years  should 
be  finished.  This  is  the  first  resurrection.  6  Blessed 
and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrec- 
tion :    over   these  the  second   death  hath  no  power ; 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  327 

but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and 
shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years. 

What  do  we  believe  about  this  passage? 
Do  I  believe  in  the  literal  fulfillment  of  it? 
Yes,  I  do!  Why,  and  how?  Because  this  reign 
of  Christ  on  earth,  with  His  saints,  before 
heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  and  be- 
fore the  eternal  kingdom  of  God  shall  be 
ushered  in,  is  clearly  foreshadowed  in  Is- 
rael's history,  and  because  it  is  unmistakably 
prophesied  in  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testament.  The  dear  reader  should 
look  to  the  Holy  Spirit  to  reveal  him  this 
truth  and  at  the  same  time  cause  him  to  see 
that  he  is  made  worthy  in  Christ  to  inherit 
that  kingdom,  so  that  he  may  come  in  with 
the  first  ones  instead  of  with  the  last  ones. 
Remember  what  Jesus  said — "But  many 
shall  be  last  that  are  first:  and  first  that  are 
last"  (Matt.  19:30).  Let  us  now  turn  to  the 
shadow  and  prophecies  of  this  kingdom 
revealed  here  in  Rev.  20:4-6.  After  king 
David  had  conquered  and  destroyed  all  the 
enemies  of  Israel  in  the  land  of  Canaan  and 
around  it   (for  God  had  commanded  that 


328  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

they  should  utterly  destroy  all  the  inhabit 
ants  of  Canaan)  and  since  David  had  full 
respect  unto  the  law  of  Moses  to  set  it  up  in 
his  kingdom,  then  God  gave  to  David  this 
promise:  **And  thy  house  and  thy  kingdom 
shall  be  made  sure  forever  before  thee:  thy 
throne  shall  be  established  forever"  (II  Sam. 
7:16).  Again  in  Psalm  132:11,  "Jehovah 
hath  sworn  unto  David  in  truth;  He  will 
not  turn  from  it:  of  the  fruit  of  thy  body 
will  I  set  upon  thy  throne."  The  prophet 
Isaiah  says:  "For  unto  us  a  child  is  born, 
unto  us  a  son  is  given ;  and  the  government 
is  upon  his  shoulders:  and  his  name  shall 
be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  Mighty 
God,  Everlasting  Father,  Prince  of  Peace. 
Of  the  increase  of  his  govenrment  and  of 
peace  there  shall  be  no  end,  upon  the 
throne  of  David,  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to 
establish  it,  and  to  uphold  it  with  justice 
and  with  righteousness  from  henceforth 
even  forever.  The  zeal  of  Jehovah  of*  hosts 
will  perform  this"  (Isa.  9:6,  7).  This 
prophecy  unquestionably  refers  to  Christ; 
this  child  and  this  son  is  Christ.    He  shall 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  329 

rule  upon  the  throne  of  David  and  establish 
the  kingdom  of  David  with  justice  and  with 
righteousness.  The  government  shall  be 
upon  His  shoulder.  (See  also  Luke  1:31- 
33).  This  prophecy  is  being  fulfilled  here 
in  Rev.  20:4-6.  We  all  know  for  certain 
that  the  throne  of  David  was  not  in  heaven, 
but  upon  the  earth.  A  certain  servant  of 
God  has  well  said,  "Christ  is  now  on  the 
throne  of  His  father  in  heaven:  He  is  not 
yet  upon  the  throne  of  David,"  for  He  was 
rejected  by  His  people  when  He  was  upon 
earth.  But  some  day  the  words  of  Jesus 
will  be  fulfilled  unto  them  which  He  spoke, 
saying:  "Behold  your  house  is  left  unto 
you  desolate.  For  I  say  unto  you:  Ye  shall 
not  see  ,me  henceforth  till  ye  shall  say, 
Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord."  (Matt.  23:38,  39).  Some  day  God 
will  give  the  Jews  repentance  to  believe  in 
Christ,  so  that  they  shall  say  to  him, 
"Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord."  This  prophecy  of  Christ  will 
come  to  pass  for  the  Jews.  They  shall 
recognize  Him  as  their  chosen  King. 


330  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

The  kingdom  of  David  has  fallen,  long, 
long,  ago;  but  God  has  promised  to  raise  it 
up  according  to  prophecy.  Both  its  fall, 
and  its  rise  to  stand  forever,  were  proph- 
ecied.  (Psa.  89:34-45;  Jer.  33:24-26;  Amos 
9:11,  12).  Let  us  read  what  the  Apostle 
James  says:  "Brethren  hearken  unto  me; 
Simeon  hath  rehearsed  how  first  God  visit- 
ed the  Gentiles,  to  take  out  of  them  a 
people  for  his  name.  [This  work  of  taking 
a  people  out  of  the  Gentiles  is  still  going  on 
today  and  will  so  continue  until  the  time  of 
the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled].  And  to  this 
agree  the  words  of  prophets;  as  it  is  written. 
After  these  things  I  will  return,  and  I  will 
build  again  the  tabernacle  of  David,  which 
is  fallen;  and  I  will  build  again  the  ruins 
thereof,  and  I  will  set  it  up.  (For  what 
purpose)  ?  That  the  residue  of  men  may 
seek  after  the  Lord,  and  all  the  Gentiles 
upon  whom  my  name  is  called,  saith  the 
Lord,  who  maketh  these  things  known  from 
of  old"  (Acts  15:14-18).  As  soon  as  the 
fulness  of  the  Gentiles  out  of  all  nations, 
peoples,  tribes,  and  tongues,  has  come  in. 


THE     BOOK     OF     REVELATION  331 

then  will  the  Lord  Jesus  return  and  fulfill 
the  above  prophecies  to  establish  the  king- 
dom of  David.  He  shall  raise  it  up  from  its 
ruins  for  Israel  and  for  His  chosen  ones  out 
of  all  nations.  Yea,  He  shall  raise  it  up  for 
the  blessing  of  the  rest,  as  prophesied  above 
— "That  the  residue  of  men  may  seek  after 
the  Lord,  and  all  the  Gentiles,  upon  whom 
my  name  is  called."  Not  to  believe  in 
Christ  according  to  the  above  prophecies,  is 
not  believing  on  Him  as  the  Scripture  saith. 
This  error  is  also  a  great  hindrance  to  the 
onward  march  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
today.  Furthermore,  it  keeps  the  devil  and 
all  those  who  corrupt  the  earth,  in  power 
and  it  keeps  the  whole  creation  groaning 
for  their  deliverance,  as  revealed  in  Rom. 
8:19-22.  The  Lord's  covenant  of  His  salva- 
tion is  not  for  man  only,  but  also  for  beast 
and  the  whole  creation.  (See  Isa.  11).  We 
come  back  again  to  Rev.  20:4-6  and  we  see 
that  this  reign  of  Christ  with  His  saints  is 
limited  to  1000  years.  Why  this  specified 
time  of  1000  years?  Why  not  forever? 
This  1000  years  is  only  a  beginning  of  His 


332  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

kingdom.  God  in  His  wisdom  will  give  the 
devil  another  chance  to  be  let  loose  out  of 
his  prison  and  to  go  out  to  deceive  the 
nations  and  mightily  attack  the  kingdom  of 
Christ;  but  through  that  he  will  bring  about 
his  eternal  doom  in  the  lake  of  fire.  Then 
the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth  will  be 
ushered  in  and  the  eternal  kingdom  of  God 
and  of  Christ  with  all  His  saints,  as  we 
shall  see  later  on  in  the  remaining  chapters. 
But  this  reign  of  Christ  with  Israel  and  the 
others  from  among  the  heathen  for  1000 
years,  is  also  foreshadowed  in  Israel's  his- 
tory. When  God  gave  the  promise  to 
David  and  through  other  prophets  that  the 
kingdom  of  David  should  be  made  to  stand 
forever  through  Christ  on  His  throne  as  we 
have  seen  above.  He  gave  also  a  promise 
to  David  for  his  sons  and  successors,  that  if 
they  would  walk  in  His  law  as  David  had, 
then  they  should  also  reign  (of  course, 
until  the  promised  king  would  come).  This 
of  course  they  did  not  do,  for  Solomon 
introduced  idolatry  and  so  they  lost  the 
kingdom    and   did   not   reign   until    Christ 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  333 

came.  The  time  of  Christ  to  come  was  not 
yet  at  hand.  Let  us  then  observe  this,  that 
from  the  beginning  of  Solomon's  reign, 
after  God  gave  the  promise  to  David  for  his 
sons  to  reign,  until  the  birth  of  Christ,  the 
true  King,  it  is  just  1000  years.  Solomon 
himself,  and  especially  the  temple,  were 
types  of  Christ.  Solomon's  kingdom  which 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  queen  of 
Sheba  from  the  end  of  the  world,  was  the 
shadow  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  Rev.  20:4-6, 
and  of  Isa.  11.  The  temple  that  Solomon 
built  was  also  a  shadow  of  Christ,  and  from 
the  beginning  of  the  building  of  the  temple 
and  the  beginning  of  Solomon's  reign  to 
the  birth  of  Christ,  is  just  1000  years.  But 
through  the  disobedience  of  the  succeeding 
kings  they  did  not  reign  these  1000  years, 
but  lost  the  kingdom  hundreds  of  years 
before  and  were  sent  into  captivity  as  a 
punishment  from  the  Lord.  However,  the 
Lord  has  promised  to  restore  unto  them 
that  kingdom,  as  we  have  so  plainly  seen  in 
the  above  prophecies.  And  He  will  restore 
unto  them  the  whole  time  of  the  1000  years. 


334  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

The  kingdom  had  already  been  defiled  from 
the  beginning  through  Solomon. 

The  Lord  will  make  this  time  of  1000 
years  sure  unto  them,  and  to  us  too;  for  He 
will  have  the  devil  bound  in  the  pit  for  1000 
years  so  that  he  can  not  deceive  the  nations 
and  kings  upon  earth  anymore.  Therefore 
it  will  be  a  glorious  rest,  yea  a  great  Sab- 
bath rest  of  1000  years,  after  about  6000 
years  of  painful  labors  on  the  part  of  God, 
Christ,  the  angels,  and  the  saints.  The 
reader  may  establish  himself  by  reckoning 
the  time  from  Solomon  to  Christ.  About 
the  promises  of  God  made  to  David  con- 
cerning his  sons  on  his  throne,  the  follow- 
ing passages  may  be  read:  I  Kings  2:4; 
8:25,26;  9:1-9;  Psa.  132:11,  12. 

We  have  now  seen  through  the  prophe- 
cies that  this  reign  of  Christ  in  Rev.  20:4-6 
upon  the  throne  of  David  on  earth,  was 
prophesied.  And  this  limited  time  of  1000 
years  has  a  shadow  in  the  history  of  Israel, 
for  Israel's  history  under  the  law  of  Moses, 
is  the  shadow  of  spiritual  Israel  under  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.    Therefore  we  teach 


\  THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  335 

a  literal  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy  in  Rev. 
20.  We  teach  it  in  good  faith  through  the 
light  in  God's  Word  that  those  who  will  meet 
the  conditions  will  live  and  reign  with 
Christ  1000  years  and  later  on  through  all 
eternity  forever  and  ever. 

7,  8.  And  when  the  thousand  years  are  finished, 
Satan  shall  be  loosed  out  of  his  prison,  Sand  shall 
come  forth  to  deceive  the  nations  which  are  in 
the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  Gog  and  Magog, 
to  gather  them  together  to  the  war:  the  number  of 
whom  is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea. 

Satan  will  never  repent  of  disobeying 
God,  though  he  has  been  punished  with 
1000  years  imprisonment.  He  does  however 
try  to  take  the  kingdom  away  from  the 
saints  and  Christ. 

9,  10.  And  they  went  up  over  the  breadth  of 
the  earth,  and  compassed  the  camp  of  the  saints 
about,  and  the  beloved  city  (Jerusalem,  which 
was  rebuilt,  the  seat  of  David's  throne)  :  and 
fire  came  down  out  of  heaven,  and  devoured  them. 
And  the  devil  that  deceived  them  was  cast  intO' 
the  lake  df  fire  and  brimstone,  where  the  beas't  and 
the  false  prophet  are,  and  shall  be  tormented  day 
and  nio:ht  for  ever  and  ever. 


336  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

This  is  the  end  of  the  one  who  separat- 
ed man  from  God's  commandment  in  the 
beginning.  He  and  his  servants  are  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  never  to 
come  out  again.  We  shall  not  hear  of  them 
anymore.  This  ends  the  history  of  the  devil. 
His  works  have  been  made  full  to  deserve 
this  eternal  punishment.  It  seems  surpris- 
ing to  think  that  the  devil  at  this  time 
should  have  succeeded  in  deceiving  such  a 
large  multitude  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  and 
to  even  come  so  far  with  them  as  to  compass 
the  beloved  city  of  the  saints.  But  when 
we  remember  how  he  tried  to  win  Christ  for 
himself  by  offering  Him  the  glory  of  all  the 
kingdoms  on  earth,  we  need  not  be  sur- 
prised that  he  succeeded  in  deceiving  these. 
But  he  could  not  deceive  them  all.  There 
were  enough  saints  on  earth  to  be  true  to 
God  and  Christ  in  this  greatest  of  tests. 
•God  allowed  this  test  to  come,  but  the 
saints  overcame  to  trust  God,  as  king 
Hezekiah  andlsaiah  did  against  the  Assyrian 
king  who  had  compassed  Jerusalem.  The 
Assyrian  king  met  with  his  final  defeat;  for 


\  THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  337 

the  angel  of  the  Lord  killed  his  army  of  185, 
000  men  in  one  night  and  delivered  Jerusa- 
lem as  a  reward  of  Hezekiah's  prayer  and 
trust  in  his  God.  The  Assyrian  king  was 
killed  by  his  own  sons.  So  does  our  loving 
Father  in  heaven  deal  with  our  enemies.  He 
lets  the  fire  from  heaven  come  down  to  de- 
vour this  large  multitude  that  Satan  has 
gathered  and  consumes  them  all  in  a  mo- 
ment. Finally,  the  devil  who  deceived  them 
is  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone. 
O  Brother,  have  we  not  a  good  God  who  so 
fights  for  us,  who  has  revealed  to  us  how  all 
things  will  end  to  our  good  and  to  our 
enemies'  defeat?  Let  us  thank  Him  indeed. 
We  will  serve  such  a  God. 

11.  And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne  and 
him  that  sat  upon  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth 
and  the  heaven  fled  away;  and  there  was  found  no 
place  for  them. 

This  is  the  fulfillment  of  Christ's  proph- 
ecy: "heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away." 
And  of  Peter:  "But  the  day  of  the  Lord  will 
come  as  a  thief;  in  the  which  the  heavens 
shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  and  the 


338  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

elements  shall  be  dissolved  with  fervent 
heat,  and  the  earth  and  the  works  that  are 
therein  shall  be  burned  up"  (II  Peter  3:10). 
You  will  notice  that  this  comes  to  pass 
after  the  1000  years  reign  with  Christ.  And 
now  comes  the  last  resurrection,  the  last 
judgment  day. 

12.  And  I  saw  the  dead,  the  great  and  the  small, 
standing  before  the  throne ;  and  books  were  opened : 
and  another  book  was  opened,  which  is  the  book 
of  Hfe :  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  the 
things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  according 
to  their  works. 

Compare  here  Matt.  25:31-45  about  the 
works  by  which  they  shall  be  judged. 

13.  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  that  were  in  it; 
and  death  and  Hades  gave  up  the  dead  that  were 
in  them :  and  they  were  judged  every  man  according 
to  their  works. 

Notice  that  all,  even  those  in  hell,  and 
every  other  place  must  and  do  appear  be- 
fore the  throne  to  be  judged.  We  see  also 
by  the  next  verse  that  hell  or  hades  is  not 
the  eternal  place  of  punishment;  but  there 
is,  nevertheless,  an  eternal  place  of  punish- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  339 

ment  for  the  devil  and  the  wicked  people. 
It  is  not  a  place  of  annihilation,  either. 

14.    And  death  and  Hades  were  cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire.     This  is  the  second  death,  even  the  lake  of  fire. 

People  who  died  the  first  death  were  all 
taken  out  again,  for  we  have  just  read 
above,  that  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead,  and 
death  and  hell,  or  Hades,  as  well.  There  is 
a  coming  out  again  from  the  place  of  punish- 
ment called  "hell,"  but  there  is  no  coming 
out  of  the  lake  of  fire,  which  is  the  second 
death.  Hell  or  Hades  is  the  first  place  of 
punishment;  the  lake  of  fire  is  the  second 
place  of  punishment  for  the  evil  ones.  There 
is  an  unpardonable  sin  of  which  Jesus  said 
thai  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  to  man  neither 
in  this  nor  in  the  world  to  come  but  is  sub- 
ject to  eternal  damnation.  Matt.  12:31,  32\ 
Mark  3:28,  29.  The  punishment  of  the  lake  of 
fire  was  prepared  by  God  for  those  who  Will 
not  repent  after  they  have  had  all  possible 
opportunities  given  unto  them  to  be  saved. 
It  was  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels. 
The  Lord  has  not  used  this  place  of  punish- 


340  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

ment  for  anybody  yet,  as  far  as  we  have 
knowledge.  The  first  are  the  beast,  Anti- 
christ, the  false  prophet,  then  the  devil,. 
then  death  itself  and  hell,  and  lastly — 

15.  And  if  any  was  not  found  written  in  the  book 
of  life,  he  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  NEW  HEAVEN  AND  THE  NEW 
EARTH 

Rev.  21  :l-27.  And  I  sav^  a  new  heaven  and  a  new- 
earth  :  for  the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  are 
passed  away;   and  the  sea  is  no  more. 

Oh,  what  a  good  Father  we  have! 
The  old  heaven  and  the  old  earth  are  not 
good  enough  anymore  for  His  children. 
They  have  been  so  defiled  with  sin  and 
blood-shed.  Satan,  evil  spirits,  and  wicked 
men  have  defiled  it.  But  these  are  all 
now  shut  up  in  everlasting  imprisonment. 
Neither  Satan,  nor  any  of  his  angels  in  the 
form  of  a  spirit  or  in  person,  will  ever  be 
allowed  to  touch  the  new  heaven  or  the  new 
earth.  It  will  not  be  the  same  as  in  the 
Paradise  of  Eden  when  Satan  was  allowed 
to  come  in  the  serpent  to  tempt  Eve- 
*There  will  be  no  tempter  there."  God  will 
never  allow  Satan  or  any  of  his  spirits  to 
come  near  His  created  people  to  disturb 
their  peace.     No,  no,  never,  never.     Say! 


342  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Brother,  have  we  not  a  good  Father  who 
has  prepared  such  a  place  of  bliss  for  us? 
Dear  reader!  can  you  not  love  such  a  God 
with  all  your  heart?  Does  He  not  deserve 
to  have  our  love  and  to  be  adored  and 
worshipped  every  day  of  our  lives?  Yes, 
He  does;  and  we  will  and  we  can  love  Him 
and  worship  Him  with  our  whole  heart. 
Amen  and  amen.  "The  sea  is  no  more." 
The  whole  earth  can  be  tilled  to  bring  forth 
good  fruit.  It  will  be  needful,  for  all 
generations  are  now  raised  to  live  again  on 
the  new  earth.  Likely  for  this  reason  is 
there  no  more  sea.  All  the  fertile  land  is 
needed  for  the  many  people  who  dwell  upon 
it. 

2.  And  I  saw  the  holy  city,  new  Jerusalem,  coming 
down  out  of  heaven  from  God,  made  ready  as  a 
bride  adorned  for  her  husband. 

We  will  not  need  to  build  ourselves 
houses,  nor  even  tents,  on  the  new  earth. 
Our  loving  Father  has  already  prepared  us 
a  home  and  such  a  home  that  will  satisfy  all 
our  wishes.  Such  a  mansion  of  beauty  and 
splendor  that  the  attractive  Babylon  of  this 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  343 

earth  sinks  into  dirt  and  nothingness  before 
our  eyes,  even  now,  as  we  read  its  descrip- 
tion in  this  chapter.  This  city  comes  down 
from  God  out  of  heaven.  It  is  not  built  on 
earth.  It  is  the  work  and  Masterpiece  of 
God.  He  is  both  the  architect  and  the 
builder.  He  has  built  this  city  for  man,  for 
the  bride  of  the  Lamb,  Amen.  Jesus  said: 
— "In  my  father's  house  are  many  man- 
sions; if  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told 
you;  for  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you. 
And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I 
will  come  again,  and  will  receive  you  unto 
myself;  that  where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be 
also. 

3,  4.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  the  throne 
saying,  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men, 
and  he  shall  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be 
his  peoples,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them, 
and  be  their  God:  4  and  he  shall  wipe  away 
every  tear  from  their  eyes;  and  death  shall  be  no 
more;  neither  shall  there  be  mourning,  nor  crying, 
nor  pain,  any  more :   the  first  things  are  passed  away. 

God  Himself  has  now  made  His  dwell- 
ing place  with  men.    Not  only  the  devil  and 


344  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

His  wicked  servants  are  put  away  from  us, 
but  God  has  made  His  dwelling  with  us  in 
His  glorious  city,  and  with  all  the  saints  of 
all  ages.  Glory  be  to  God,  and  glory  be  to 
His  name,  for  ever  and  ever,  amen  and 
amen.  These  are  things  which  come  to  pass 
shortly,  for  the  highest  authority  says  so. — 
No  death,  no  mourning,  no  crying,  no  pain: 
He  wipes  away  every  tear  from  His  people. 
Oh,  what  a  good  Father!  Who  should  not 
love  and  serve  Him? 

5,  6.  And  he  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  said, 
Behold,  I  make  all  things  new.  And  he  saith, 
Write :  for  these  words  are  faithful  and  true.  6 
And  he  said  unto  me.  They  are  come  to  pass. 

These  things  have  come  to  pass.  How 
is  that  to  be  understood?  A  certain  min- 
ister once  said,  *Tacts  are  not  facts  because 
they  have  come  to  pass,  but  facts  are  facts 
because  God  has  spoken  it."  So  here: 
These  things  have  already  come  to  pass  in 
God's  heart,  in  God's  will.  It  is  all  done 
there;  therefore  they  must  also  come  to 
pass  and  be  made  visible  to  us. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  345 

6,  7.  I  am  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  beginning 
and  the  end.  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst 
of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely.  7  He 
fhat  overcoime'th  shall  iniherit  these  things ;  and  I 
will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son. 

Since  God  is  the  first  and  the  last  letter 
of  the  alphabet  of  His  righteousness,  then 
we,  or  even  the  best  saint  that  ever  lived  is 
nothing;  not  one  letter,  not  even  a  dot. 
But  we  are  all  made  perfect  in  Christ  to 
inherit  His  kingdom,  and  to  dwell  in  His 
holy  city,  if  we  believe  on  His  Son 
as  the  scripture  says — '*Unto  him  that  loved 
us,  and  loosed  us  from  our  sins  by  his 
blood;  and  he  made  us  to  be  a  kingdom,  to 
be  priests  unto  his  God  and  Father;  to  him 
be  the  glory  and  the  dominion  for  ever  and 
ever,  Amen"  (Rev.  1:5,  6).  "And  they  sing 
a  new  song,  saying.  Worthy  art  thou  to  take 
the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof:  for 
thou  wast  slain,  and  didst  purchase  unto 
God  with  thy  blood  men  of  every  tribe,  and 
tongue,  and  people,  and  nation,  and  madest 
them  to  be  unto  our  God,  a  kingdom  and 
priests;    and   they   reign    upon   the   earth" 


346  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

(Rev.  5:9,  10).  We  are  nothing  at  all  of 
ourselves  and  yet  we  all  are  made  perfect  in 
Christ.  Faith  in  Christ  is  our  righteousness. 
Then  remember  that  this  Christ  who  loved 
us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own 
blood  and  with  the  same  blood  purchased  us 
for  God,  is  the  gift  of  the  Father.  Our 
salvation  and  all  the  revealed  glory  in  this 
book  of  Revelation,  came  first  out  of  the 
heart  of  the  Father.  Christ  Himself  and  alt 
the  help  we  get  from  the  angels  and  saints 
came  out  of  the  heart  of  the  one  who  sits  on 
the  throne.  Therefore  he  says, — "I  am  the 
Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  beginning  and 
the  end."  Our  salvation  and  glory  in  Jesus 
was  all  planned  out  in  the  Father's  loving 
heart  to  us  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world  and  since  His  Son  has  done  the  work, 
therefore  we  can  get  it  free,  as  an  inherit- 
ance. "He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit 
these  things."  But  there  is  a  possibility  for 
a  believer  to  become  so  weak  in  his  spiritual 
condition  that  he  is  utterly  unable  to  take 
anything  which  is  offered  unto  him  freely  of 
God's  salvation,  though  he  would  desire  it. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  347 

He  finds  himself  under  the  power  of  the 
accuser,  who  holds  his  sins  before  him,  day 
and   night,   and   he   can   not   overcome   to 
believe  that  they  are  all  under  the  blood. 
He  is  somewhat  like  a  sick  person  who  has 
lost  all  strength  in  his  body  so  that  he  can 
not  take  food  and  drink  to  his  mouth  any- 
more, though  he  would  desire  to  do  so.    In 
such  a  case  he  needs  some  one  to  nurse  him 
and  give  him  food  and  drink.     That  is  a 
great  help  indeed  to  this  weak  person,  for 
he  would  die  if  no  one  would  feed  him.    So 
we  have  this  glorious  grace  revealed  to  us 
of  the  Father  in  heaven,  here  in  Rev.  21 :6. 
"I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst  of  the 
fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely."    The 
condition    required    here    on    our    part    is, 
"Thirst."    The  Father  is  shown  to  us  on  the 
throne  as  one  who  is  almighty,  having  all 
power  over  Satan,  our  accuser,  who  accuses 
us   before   God    day   and   night.     He   has 
power  over  every  evil  spirit  around  us,  for 
he  said,  "I,  myself  (through  his  spirit),  will 
give  unto  him  that  is  athirst  of  the  fountain 
of  the  water  of  life  freely."    Can  anything 


348  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

hinder  him  from  giving  you  this  water  of 
life?  Your  Father  says,  "I  will  give  it  to 
you."  O  Brother,  Sister,  do  you  believe  in 
your  God  as  this  scripture  says?  If  you 
have  found  salvation  and  have  been  led 
into  it  to  your  ankles,  or  to  your  knees,  or 
up  to  your  loins,  remember  you  are  not  to 
stop  there.  You  must  be  led  in  until  you 
swim  in  order  that  God^s  labors  be  fully 
rewarded  on  you  and  His  Words  may  be- 
come true  upon  you.    (See  Ezek.  47:1-9). 

8.  But  for  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and 
abominable,  and  murderers,  and  fornicators,  and  ser- 
cerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  their  part  shall  be 
in  the  lake  that  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone; 
which  is  the  second  death. 

"God  is  not  mocked:  for  whatsoever  a 
man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap"  (Gal. 
6:7).  ''How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect 
so  great  a  salvation"  (Heb.  2:3).  If  a  man 
be  guilty  of  any  or  all  of  the  above  damna- 
ble works  and  does  not  repent  to  have  his 
sins  washed  away,  that  one  will  have  his 
part  in  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone.  God 
will  never  be  found  a  liar  in  any  of  His 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  349 

words  which  He  has  spoken,  and  not  of 
these  words  here  in  Rev.  21:8.  Let  the 
reader  not  forget  this.  If  God  would  save 
such  people  who  are  guilty  of  these  devilish 
works  mentioned  above  and  who  do  not 
repent  of  them,  then  God  could  be  classed 
as  a  liar,  having  promised  things  which  He 
never  fulfilled.  May  we  'work  out  our  own 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling"  (Phil. 
2:12).  May  we  not  doubt  that  God  will  be 
found  true  to  all  His  words  of  blessing  and 
to  all  His  words  of  punishment.  Remember 
how  God  fulfilled  His  words  of  punishment 
on  the  world  by  the  flood  in  the  days  of 
Noah,  and  how  he  dealt  with  the  abomina- 
ble cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  Re- 
member how  He  did  not  spare  His  holy 
temple  and  city,  Jerusalem,  from  destruc- 
tion, because  of  the  defilement  in  it:  and 
how  He  was  true  to  His  Words  of  punish-» 
ment  in  casting  His  chosen  people  out  of 
their  land  into  captivity.  Remember  how 
the  sin  of  fearfulness  and  unbelief  in  the 
ten  spies  and  in  all  who  believed  them  was 
punished.     Because  of  this  sin  of  fearful- 


350  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

ness  (they  were  afraid  to  enter  the  land) 
and  unbelief  in  the  promises  of  God,  they 
were  cut  off  from  entering  the  land  of 
which  they  were  made  heirs.  And  thi^ 
happened  unto  them  to  be  an  example  for 
our  benefit.  They  were  cut  off  from  a 
temporal  kingdom,  but  we  are  cut  off  from 
an  eternal  one  if  we  sin.  Remember  how 
God  had  chosen  Saul  and  anointed  him  to 
be  king  over  Israel  and  then  rejected  him 
afterwards,  because  of  disobedience  to  Hi^ 
Word  in  not  doing  that  which  God  had 
commanded  him  to  do,  and  for  which  God 
had  given  him  all  the  needful  power  to  do 
perfectly.  Samuel  told  Saul,  that  this  re- 
bellion of  his  caused  his  rejection  as  king 
over  God's  people.  'Tor  rebellion  is  as  the 
sin  of  witchcraft,  and  stubbornness  as  idol- 
atry and  iniquity.  Because  thou  hast  re- 
jected the  word  of  the  Lord,  he  hath  also  re- 
jected thee  from  being  king"  (I  Sam.  15:23): 
In  this  act  of  king  Saul  we  have  revealed  to 
us  the  sin  of  witchcraft,  iniquity,  and 
idolatry.  O  reader,  is  there  any  disobe- 
dience at  present  in  your  heart  between  you 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  351 

and  God?  Let  the  Holy  Spirit  reveal  it  to 
you  and  then  humble  yourself  at  once 
under  the  almighty  hand  of  God  to  confess 
and  to  obey,  even  though  it  should  bring 
you  great  shame  before  men  as  even  to  cost 
your  life.  Out  with  the  hidden  things  ir 
your  life  which  will  bring  you  into  the  lake 
of  fire  if  they  are  not  removed  from  you. 
Your  sins  will  be  revealed  before  an  assem- 
bled world  on  the  judgment  day  if  you  keep 
them  hid  now.  Oh,  a  thousand  times  rather 
be  put  to  shame  now  and  be  pardoned  by 
God,  than  to  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and 
brimstone;  for  God  must  make  His  words 
true  to  punish  those  who  are  guilty  of  the 
above  sins  and  who  do  not  repent  of  them. 
Remember  how  the  Holy  Spirit  dealt  with 
Ananias  and  Sapphira  who  were  liars,  and 
with  Simon  the  sorcerer  (Acts  5:1-11;  8: 
21-23).  God  wants  no  liars  or  sorcerers  in 
His  Church. 

The  New  Jerusalem  Revealed. 

9-27.       And     there     came    one     of     the     seven 
angels   who  had   the   seven   bowls,   who   were   laden 


352   •  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

with  the  seven  last  plagues;  and  he  spake  with  me. 
saying,  Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee  the  bride,  the 
wife  of  the  Lamb.  10  And  he  carried  me  away  in 
the  Spirit  to  a  mountain  great  and  high,  and  showed 
me  the  holy  city  Jerusalem,  coming  down  out  of 
heaven  from  God,  11  having  the  glory  of  God: 
her  light  was  like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  as  it 
were  a  jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal:  12  having  a 
wall  great  and  high ;  having  twelve  gates,  and  at  the 
gates  twelve  angels ;  and  names  written  thereon, 
which  are  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  the 
children  of  Israel:  13  on  the  east  were  three  gates; 
and  on  the  north  three  gates ;  and  on  the  south  three 
gates ;  and  on  the  west  three  gates.  14  And  the  wall 
of  the  city  had  twelve  foundations,  and  on  them- 
twelve  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb. 
15  And  he  that  spake  with  me  had  for  a  measure  a 
golden  reed  to  measure  the  city,  and  the  gates  there- 
of, and  the  wall  thereof.  16  And  the  city  lieth  four- 
square, and  the  length  thereof  is  as  great  as  the 
breadth:  and  he  measured  the  city  with  the  reed, 
twelve  thousand  furlongs :  the  length  and  the  breadth 
and  the  height  thereof  are  equal.  17  And  he 
measured  the  wall  thereof,  a  hundred  and  forty  and 
four  cubits,  according  to  the  measure  of  a  man,  that 
is,  of  an  angel.  18  And  the  building  of  the  wall 
thereof  was  jasper:  and  the  city  was  pure  gold,  like 
unto  pure  glass.     19  The  foundations  of  the  wall  of 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  353 

the  city  were  adorned  with  all  manner  of  precious 
stones.  The  first  foundation  was  jasper;  the  second, 
sapphire;  the  third,  chalcedony;  the  fourth,  emer- 
ald; 20  the  fifth,  sardonyx;  the  sixth,  sardius;  the 
seventh,  chrysolite;  the  eighth,  beryl;  the  ninth, 
topaz;  the  tenth,  chrysoprase;  the  eleventh,  jacinth; 
the  twelfth,  amethyst.  21  And  the  twelve  gates  were 
twelve  pearls ;  each  one  of  the  several  gates  was  of 
one  pearl:  and  the  street  of  the  city  was  pure  gold, 
as  it  were  transparent  glass.  22  And  I  saw  no 
temple  therein:  for  the  Lord  God  the  Almighty,  and 
the  Lamb,  are  the  temple  thereof.  23  And  the  city 
hath  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon,  to 
shine  upon  it:  for  the  glory  did  lighten  it,  and  the 
lamp  thereof  is  the  Lamb.  24  And  the  nations  shall 
walk  amidst  the  light  thereof :  and  the  kings  of  the 
earth  bring  their  glory  into  it.  25  And  the  gates 
thereof  shall  in  no  wise  be  shut  by  day  (for  there 
shall  be  no  night  there)  :  26  and  they  shall  bring  the 
glory  and  the  honor  of  the  nations  into  it:  27  and 
there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  anything  unclean, 
or  he  that  maketh  an  abomination  and  a  lie :  but 
only  they  that  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life. 

Dear  Brother,  Sister,  or  Reader,  the 
first  thing  we  would  like  to  mention  is  that 
this  glorious  city  with  its  mansions  and 
streets   of    gold    is   the    home   which    your 


354  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

heavenly  Father  has  prepared  for  you.  It  ia 
surely  your  home.  It  is  the  home  for  all 
who  prove  worthy  to  enter  therein.  The 
answer  is  in  chapter  22:14.  Revised  Ver- 
sion. ''Blessed  are  they  that  wash  their 
robes,  that  they  may  have  the  right  to  come 
to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  by  the 
gates  into  the  city."  The  blood  of  the  Lamb 
has  opened  unto  us  the  way  to  the  tree  of 
life  and  into  the  city,  and  to  come  into  the 
presence  of  God  to  dwell  with  Him.  'They 
washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore  are) 
they  before  the  throne  of  God;  and  serve  him 
day  and  night  in  his  temple"  (Rev.  7:14,  15). 
The  description  of  this  city  needs  no  expla- 
nation. It  explains  itself.  We  believe  in 
the  literal  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy.  The 
old  patriarchs  looked  for  this  city  and  saw 
it  as  their  home.  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob  lived  in  tents  on  earth.  "By  faith  he 
[Abraham]  became  a  sojourner  in  the  land 
of  promise,  as  in  a  land  not  his  own,  dwell- 
ing  in  tents,  with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs 
with  him  of  the  same  promise:  for  he  looked 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  35- 

for  the  city  which   hath   the   foundations, 
whose  builder  and  maker  is  God."     "But 
now  they  desire  a  better  country,  that  is,  a 
heavenly:  wherefore   God   is  not  ashamed 
of  them,  to  be  called  their  God;  for  he  hath 
prepared  for  them  a  city.   (Heb.   11:9,   10, 
16).    Do  we  please  God  by  looking  for  this 
city  as  these  patriarchs  did  ?    Or  are  our  eyes 
and   hearts  yet  attached   to   the   beautiful 
homes  and  cities  of  this  earth?     So  easily 
can    the    nice    things    on    the    earth    come 
between  us  and  things  above,  and  darken 
our  vision  that  we  can  not  see  this  heavenly 
city.    ''Set  your  mind  on  things  above  and 
not  on  the  things  that  are  on  the  earth" 
(Col.  3:2).     Notice  the  tremendous  size  of 
the    city,    twelve    thousand    furlongs;    and 
the  length  and  the  breadth  and  the  height 
of   the   city   are   the   same.     Surely   there 
must  be  room  enough  in  its  mansions  for 
every  person  that  has  ever  lived  on  earths 
We   may  well   deny   ourselves   of  wearing 
golden   ornaments  and  give   our  gold  and 
treasures  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  for 


356  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

some  day  God  will  place  us  in  mansions  of 
gold  and  we  shall  walk  upon  streets  of  gold. 
Yea,  more  than  gold,  for  the  foundations  of 
the  wall  of  the  city  are  adorned  with  all 
manner  of  precious  stones  and  the  twelve 
gates  are  of  twelve  pearls  and  each  gate  of 
one  pearl.  And  then  best  of  all,  God  the 
Father  and  the  Son  and  all  His  holy  saints 
dwell  in  it.  But  "there  shall  in  nowise  enter 
into  it  anything  unclean,  or  he  that  maketh 
an  abomination  and  a  lie:  but  only  they  that 
are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life.""^ 
This  city  is  called  "the  bride,  the  wife  of  the 
Lamb."  Is  it  only  a  spiritual  city  of  holy 
persons,  or  is  it  also  a  material  city?  Why 
all  this  description  of  dimensions,  12,000 
furlongs,  12  foundations  of  precious  stones, 
streets  of  gold  and  gates  of  pearl,  if  it  were 
not  a  material  city  as  well  as  a  spiritual  one 
filled  with  all  the  holy  people  and  with  God 
himself  dwelling  in  it?  A  city  consists  of  at 
least  three  things, — a  body  of  people,  a  law 
to  rule  them,  and  dwelling  places  in  which 
to  live.  Oh,  what  a  good  Father  we  have  in 
heaven  to  build  us  such  a  beautiful  city! 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  357 

There  is  nothing  on  earth  that  can  even  be 
a  shadow  toward  it.  Who  will  say  that  God 
does  not  love  us? 


CHAPTER  XXII 
THE   LAST   GENERAL   INVITATION 

Rev.  22:1-21.  And  he  showed  me  a  river  of 
Waaler  of  life,  bright  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the 
throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,  2  in  the  midst  of 
the  street  thereof.  And  on  this  side  of  the  river  and 
on  that  v^as  the  tree  of  life,  bearing  twelve  manner 
(crops)  of  fruits,  yielding  its  fruit  every  month: 
and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the 
nations.     3  And  there  shall  be  no  curse  any  more: 

There  shall  be  no  curse  like  in  the 
beginning;  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil  and  the  commandment  which  con- 
tained this  curse — ''for  in  the  day  that  thou 
eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die/'  (Gen. 
2:17)  will  not  be  there. 

Some  people  have  accused  God  for 
allowing  sin  to  come  into  the  world  and  for 
allowing  the  devil  to  tempt  Eve.  "Why  did 
God  not  destroy  him  or  shut  him  up  in  a 
prison  of  punishment  when  he  exalted  him- 
self against  God."  Somehow  these  people 
are  blind,  or  else  make  no  effort  to  read 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  359 

these  words  in  Revelation,  where  we  see 
how  God  will  surely  do  all  these  things,  by- 
casting  the  devil  into  the  lake  of  fire  and 
brimstone  forever  and  ever.    And  we  shall 
eat  freely  of  the  tree  of  life  and  be  com- 
pletely healed  of  our  sins  and  of  our  diseases 
by  its  leaves.    Its  fruits  shall  be  our  meat. 
Adam  and  Eve  never  ate  of  it.    Surely  God 
has  prepared  a  perfect  healing  remedy  for 
the  leprosy  of  sin,  and  good  fruit  on  this 
tree   of   life   to   live   thereby.     Instead   of 
getting  older  we  shall  get  younger  by  the 
fruit  of  this  tree.    What  may  this  tree  be? 
God  has  given  us  life  eternal  in  His  Son  for 
body  and  soul.    We  are  to  eat  Him  up.    His 
flesh  and  blood  are  likely  the  leaves  of  thei 
tree  and  His  words  the  fruits  thereof,  anc^ 
this  fruit  we  are  to  eat  up.    The  reader  may 
turn   to  the   following  passages  to  see   in 
what  God  has  given  us  life:  Jno.  6:48-58; 
8:51 ;     11 :26.    'Thy  words  were  found,  and 
I  did  eat  them;  and  thy  words  were  unto 
me  a  joy  and  the  rejoicing  of  my  heart" 
(Jer.  15:16).    The  words  that  Jesus  spoke 
concerning  the  bread  and  the  wine  at  the 


360  LIG'tIT    and    life    FROM 

Lord's  supper,  'This  is  my  body"  and  "this 
is  my  blood,"  are  words  of  life  and  spirit  for 
the  one  who  discerns  the  body  of  the  Lord 
in  the  bread  and  the  blood  of  the  Lord  in 
the  wine.  He  eats  the  body  of  the  Lord  and 
drinks  the  blood  of  the  Lord  by  faith  in  His 
words,  "This  is  my  body,"  "This  is  my 
blood."  The  Apostle  says  in  I  Cor.  1 1 :29, 
30,  "for  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh,  eateth 
and  drinketh  judgment  unto  himself  if  he 
discern  not  the  body.  For  this  cause  many 
among  you  are  weak  and  sickly,  and  not  a 
few  sleep."  Because  they  discern  not  the 
Lord's  body  in  the  bread  and  wine  and  ir 
the  words  which  he  spoke,  "This  is  my 
body,"  "This  is  my  blood."  In  the  creation 
of  the  world  the  Word  of  God  brought  forth 
the  earth  with  its  soil  and  grass,  trees, 
rocks,  iron,  and  all  kinds  of  hard  material. 
Remember  that  all  this  came  into  existence 
through  the  Word  as  God  spake  it.  He 
made  this  earth  which  was  waste  and  void, 
such  a  fruitful  body  as  it  is  now,  through 
His  Word.  "By  faith  we  understand  that 
the  worlds  have  been  framed  by  the  word  of 


THE    TJOOK    OF    REVELATION'  361 

God,  so  that  what  is  seen  hath  not  been 
made  out  of  things  which  appear"  (Heb.  11  :- 
3).  All  things  were  made  through  him  [the 
Word] ;  and  without  him  was  not  anything 
made  that  hath  been  made"  (Jno.  1:1-3). 
In  the  light  of  all  this,  we  can,  and  do 
believe,  that  the  Word  of  God,  "This  is  my 
body,"  "This  is  my  blood;"  is  fully  able  to 
raise  up  our  weak  and  sickly  bodies,  to  heal 
them  and  keep  them  alive  until  Christ 
comes  who  will  then  transform  them  into 
His  glorious  body,  because  we  have  the  seed 
of  His  glorious  body  in  us  by  faith  in  Hir 
words  spoken  above.  "This  is  my  body," 
"This  is  my  blood."  The  leaves  of  the  tree 
are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations."  This  is 
God's  remedy  for  man,  and  I  feel  it  in  my 
very  body.  It  has  healed  me  of  my  nervous 
weakness,  eczema,  and  other  ailments.  The 
Word  of  God  for  the  body  has  been  my  only 
medicine  for  over  20  years.  Praise  God's 
holy  name  for  ever  and  ever,  amen  and 
amen.  But  we  have  also  a  river  of  life 
described  to  us  in  connection  with  the  tree 
of  life.     What  could  it  be  but  the  Holy 


362  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Spirit  and  the  Word  of  God  in  the  whole 
Bible  flowing  as  a  river  continually  from 
God's  throne  and  the  Lamb  into  our  hearts? 
And  that  even  we  ourselves  are  to  become 
rivers  of  living  waters  as  Jesus  said.  ''He 
that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  scripture  hath 
said,  from  within  him  shall  flow  rivers  o' 
living  water.  But  this  spake  he  of  the 
Spirit,  which  they  that  believed  on  him  were 
to  receive"  (Jno.  7:  38,  39). 

3,  4.  and  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall 
be  therein  (in  the  New  Jerusalem)  :  and  his  servants 
shall  serve  him;  4  and  they  shall  see  his  face;  and 
his  name  shall  be  on  their  foreheads. 

The  love  of  God  within  us  will  con- 
strain us  to  serve  God.  How  could  we  do 
otherwise?  Since  He  has  placed  us  in  such 
a  city  and  given  us  of  this  river  of  life  to 
drink  and  of  the  leaves  and  fruit  of  the  tree 
of  life  to  freely  eat,  and  since  He  has 
written  His  name  on  our  forehead,  how 
could  we  withhold  ourselves  from  serving 
such  a  good  God? 

Why  do  men  find  fault  with  God  for 
things  of  the  past?    Oh,  what  blindness  and 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  o63 

deceitfulness  of  the  devil!  Why  not  look 
to  these  words  of  unspeakable  promises  to 
which  He  has  made  man  the  heir  through 
Christ?  Surely  you  don't  do  right  if  you 
do  not  thank  God  for  all  these  words  of 
revealed  blessings  to  you.  'Things  which 
eye  saw  not,  and  ear  heard  not,  and  which 
entered  not  into  the  heart  of  man,  whatso- 
ever things  God  prepared  for  them  that  love 
him.  But  unto  us  God  revealed  them 
through  the  Spirit:  for  the  Spirit  searcheth 
all  things,  yea,  the  deep  things  of  God"  (I 
Cor.  2:9,  10).  Things  which  in  times  past 
were  not  seen  nor  heard  nor  even  came  into 
the  heart  of  man,  are  now  all  revealed  to  us 
by  His  Spirit  in  the  Apostles,  through 
whom  we  have  the  whole  New  Testament 
with  this  book  of  Revelation  in  which  all 
things  are  clearly  revealed  to  us,  even  now. 

5.  And  there  shall  be  night  no  more ;  and  they  need 
no  light  of  lamp,  neither  light  of  sun;  for  the  Lord 
God  shall  give  them  light:  and  they  shall  reign  for 
ever  and  ever. 

They  shall  reign  forever  and  ever,  not 
in  heaven,  but  on  the  new  earth  and  in  the 


364  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

new  Jerusalem;  not  with  David  on  the 
throne  but  with  God  the  Father  and  Christ 
on  the  throne.  This  is  now  the  everlasting 
kingdom  of  God  which  shall  stand  forever 
and  ever.  We  are  made  worthy  in  Jesus 
Christ  to  inherit  that  kingdom  according  to 
Rev.  1 :5,  6.  "Unto  him  that  loveth  us,  and 
loosed  us  from  our  sins  by  his  blood;  and 
he  made  us  to  be  a  kingdom,  to  be  priests 
unto  his  God  and  Father;  to  him  be  the 
glory  and  the  dominion  forever  and  ever. 
Amen."  Through  the  works  of  Christ  we 
are  made  worthy  to  hold  the  citizenship 
and  priest's  office  in  the  kingdom  of  God 
forever  and  ever,  if  we  prove  ourselves 
worthy  now  by  faith  and  obedience  to  him. 

6,  7.  And  he  (the  angel)  said  unto  me,  These 
words  are  faithful  and  true:  and  the  Lord,  the  God 
of  the  spirits  of  the  prophets,  sent  his  angel  to  show 
unto  his  servants  the  things  which  must  shortly  come 
to  pass.  7  And  behold,  I  come  quickly.  Blessed  ia 
he  that  keepeth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this 
book. 

Notice  what  the  highest  authority  in 
this  book  says  about  these  words  of  proph- 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  365 

ecy,  "which  must  shortly  come  to  pass>" 
Therefore  any  Spirit  that  teaches  different 
from  this  in  regard  to  the  time  for  the 
fulfillment  of  this  word  is  evidently  not  the 
Spirit  of  prophecy  of  this  book.  The  ques- 
tion we  may  ask  as  the  Church  of  Christ  is, 
have  we  kept  these  words  of  prophecy?  Or 
have  we  let  them  slip  from  us?  Have  we 
placed  their  fulfillment  to  a  future  genera- 
tion and  thus  lost  the  blessing  promised  of 
the  Spirit  upon  the  keeping  of  them?  Let 
us  see  how  we  can  be  the  hindrance  to  the 
;oming  of  Christ  and  to  the  fulfillment  of 
ill  these  words  of  prophecy.  Of  course  we 
oelieve  that  these  words  will  come  to  pass; 
but  we  do  not  believe  like  the  Spirit  says, — 
"shortly."  We  do  not  take  them  up  for  us 
and  our  generation.  We  believe  that  God 
will  cause  them  to  come  to  pass  through  a 
future  generation.  Now  let  us  see  how  this 
way  of  believing  will  work.  The  next 
generation  will  believe  like  we  do;  they  will 
also  believe  in  their  coming  to  pass,  yet  not 
through  them,  but  through  a  future  genera- 
tion of  God's  people.    That  future  genera- 


366  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

tion  of  believers  will  do  the  very  same  thing 
and  so  on  it  will  go.  When  will  they  come 
to  pass? 

Remember,  God  fulfills  His  words  of 
prophecy  because  His  people  are  made  the 
bearers  of  the  prophecies.  Now  if  those 
who  are  made  heirs  of  the  promises  in 
prophecies  do  not  hold  or  keep  the  prophe- 
cies, will  God  fulfill  them  anyway  and  give 
them  the  promised  King  and  kingdom?  We 
have  an  unerring  example  of  this  in  Israel's 
history  at  Kadesh-barnea.  They  were  all 
ready  to  go  over  and  take  the  kingdom. 
God's  time  for  them  to  take  in  the  land  was 
"now."  God's  time  was  here.  The  wicked 
nations  in  the  land  were  ripe  for  the  judg- 
ment, and  God  was  ready  to  give  the  land  to 
His  people,  but  they  failed  to  believe  in  His 
promise  because  of  the  ten  spies,  and  the 
time  was  prolonged  to  40  years.  What  was 
the  cause  of  this  delay?  Nothing  that  we 
read  of  but  the  unbelief  on  the  part  of  the 
ten  spies  and  of  all  those  that  believed  them. 
Even  the  righteous  ones  like  Joshua  and 
Caleb  had  to  suffer  too  because  they  had  to 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  367 

wait  on  the  rest  until  God's  time  came  again. 
The  individual  believer  as  well  as  the 
Church  who  does  not  keep  these  words  of 
prophecy  is  not  armed  with  God's  whole 
armor  and  therefore  will  meet  with  defeat  in 
carrying  out  the  full  will  of  God  and  to 
inherit  the  promise  of  Christ's  coming.  We 
are  out  of  line  with  God's  highest  will  if  we 
do  not  keep  these  words  of  prophecy  in 
Revelation.  That  is  what  God  is  waiting  on 
in  order  to  cause  all  these  words  to  come  to 
pass  shortly.  The  Church  of  Christ  will  be 
led  through  the  works  laid  out  in  this 
prophecy.  We  must  go  through  them.  We 
are  made  heirs  of  these  promises  from  God 
through  Christ.  Israel  was  made  the  heir 
of  Canaan  through  Abraham;  we  are  made 
the  Keirs  through  Christ.  Our  Father  in 
heaven  is  to  us  what  Abraham  was  to  Israel 
He  gave  His  Son  as  an  offering  on  the  cross 
for  us;  so  we  have  received  the  promises 
from  the  Father  through  the  faith  and 
obedience  of  His  Son  Jesus  Christ. 

8-10.     And  I  John  am  he  that  heard  and  saw  these 
things.     And  when  I  heard  and  saw,  I  fell  down  to 


368  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

worship  before  the  feet  of  the  angel  that  showed 
me  these  things.  9  And  he  saith  unto  me,  See 
thou  do  it  not:  I  am  fellow-servant  with  thee  and 
with  thy  brethren  the  prophets,  and  with  them  that 
keep  the  words  of  this  book:  worship  God.  10  And 
he  saith  unto  me,  Seal  not  up  the  words  of  the 
prophecy  of  this  book;    for  the  time  is  at  hand. 

Again  the  angel  says  to  John  that  the 
time  for  these  prophecies  to  come  to  pass  is 
at  hand.  Who  should  dare  to  teach  differ- 
ent and  set  a  future  time  or  look  to  a  future 
generation  for  the  fulfillment  of  these  words 
in  this  book?  God  forgive  us  for  our  past 
faults,  for  the  neglected  work,  which  He, 
desired  us  to  do.  May  we  be  made  of  God 
like  Caleb  and  Joshua,  who  had  the  faith 
which  pleased  God. 

11.  He  that  is  unrighteous,  let  him  do  unrighteous- 
ness still:  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  made 
filthy  still:  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  do 
righteousness  still:  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be 
.made  holy  still. 

The  time  of  grace  has  come  to  a  close. 
The  unrighteous  will  become  more  unright- 
eous,   and   the    righteous   more    and   more 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  369 

righteous.  There  will  be  no  cleansing  rem- 
edy for  sin  anymore,  neither  will  there  be 
any  inducement  for  the  righteous  to  sin 
anymore. 

12,  13.  Behold,  I  come  quickly;  and  my  reward 
is  with  me,  to  render  to  each  man  according  as  his 
work  is.  13  I  am  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the 
first  and  the  last,  the  beginning  and  the  end. 

It  is  all  in  Christ.  He  is  the  first  and 
last  letter  of  the  alphabet;  He  is  the  first 
and  the  last;  the  beginning  and  the  end; 
we  come  in  nowhere,  but  through  Him 
and  Him  alone.  "And  in  none  other  is 
salvation,  neither  is  there  any  other  name 
under  heaven,  that  is  given  among  men, 
wherein  we  must  be  saved"  (Acts  4:12)! 
"For  as  through  the  one  man's  disobedience 
the  many  were  made  sinners,  even  so 
through  the  obedience  of  the  one  [Christ] 
shall  the  many  be  made  righteous"  (Rom. 
5:19).  In  the  obedience  of  the  one,  Christ, 
are  we  made  righteous,  providing  we  believe 
it. 

14.    Blessed  are  they  that  wash  their  robes,  that  they 


370  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

may  have  the  right  to  come  to  the  tree  of  Hfe,  and 
may  enter  in  by  the  gates  into  the  city. 

God  has  made  it  possible  for  everyone 
to  have  the  right  to  the  tree  of  life  and  to 
enter  into  the  new  Jerusalem,  because  the 
works  required  can  be  done  by  all.  The 
reader  will  observe  the  difference  in  thr 
above  verse  between  the  Authorized  and 
Revised  versions.  We  may  have  failed  tc 
keep  His  commandments,  and  if  we  were 
called  away  without  having  done  His  com- 
mandments then  we  would  never  have  the 
right  to  get  to  the  tree  of  life  and  into  the 
city.  But  we  do  praise  God  that  the  work 
required  is  to  wash  our  robes.  We  all  can 
do  that.  The  vilest  sinner  can  do  that, 
though  he  may  be  ever  so  unclean.  Surely 
he  can  wash  his  robes.  God  in  His  mercer 
has  provided  a  way  of  salvation  that  reach- 
es to  the  uttermost.  Man  has  a  comfort 
indeed  in  God's  mercy.  But  how  do  we 
wash  our  robes?  By  the  faith  that  Jesus 
Himself  has  washed  our  robes  in  His  blood 
The  word  "robe"  must  of  necessity  alsa 
refer  to  the  physical  body,  since  we  read  ir 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  371 

Hebrews  10:22  that  in  order  to  come  into 
God's  sanctuary,  we  must  also  wash  our 
bodies  with  pure  water.  What  may  this 
pure  water  be,  but  the  blood  of  Christ  that 
cleanses  from  all  sin  and  diseases.  'They 
washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white 
in  the  blood  of  the  lamb."  Therefore  are 
they  before  the  throne  of  God"  (Rev.  7:14, 
15).  Oh,  how  needful  that  this  washing  be 
taught  in  the  Church  and  elsewhere,  in 
order  that  believers  and  sinners  may  not 
miss  it  and  be  placed  outside  of  the  tree  of 
life  and  the  city. 

15.  Without  are  the  dogs,  and  the  sorcerers, 
and  the  fornicators,  and  the  murderers,  and  the 
idolaters,  and  every  one  that  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie. 

One  may  be  guilty  of  one  or  all  of  these 
sins,  but  if  he  repents  as  required  in  God's 
Word,  he  can  be  pardoned  and  can  wash  his 
robes,  so  as  to  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life 
and  to  the  city  of  the  new  Jerusalem. 
There  are  not  only  physical  murderers,  but 
also  soul  murderers,  who  kill  the  new- 
born babes  in  Christ  and  even  older  ones, 


372  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

through  their  teaching  which  is  not  of  the. 
Holy  Spirit.  "Who  is  a  liar  but  he  that 
denieth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ"  (I  John 
2:22).  Oh,  how  the  Word  of  God  in  verse 
15  gives  such  a  clear  warning,  together  with 
the  other  verse  in  Rev.  21 :8,  as  to  who  will 
be  outside  of  the  city  and  who  will  be  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone. 

16.  I,  Jesus,  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify 
unto  you  these  things  for  the  churches.  I  am  the 
root  and  the  offspring  of  David,  the  bright,  the 
morning  star. 

Jesus  gave  His  own  testimony  as  to  the 
authority  and  purpose  of  this  book.  He  is 
the  prophesied  Son  of  David. 

17.  And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come, 
\nd  he  that  heareth,  let  him  say,  Come.  And  he 
that  is  athirst,  let  him  come:  and  he  that  will,  let 
him  take  the  water  of  life  freely. 

Before  our  loving  Father  and  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  closes  the  Bible,  or  the  mes- 
sage in  this  last  book  of  the  Bible,  He  gives 
yet  a  general  invitation  for  all  mankind  to 
come.  It  does  not  say  here,  that  the  Spirit 
says  to  the  bride   (which  is  ready)   Come. 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  37: 

But  this  invitation  is  extended  to  all  who 
hear,  "Come."     Yea,  even  those  that  hear 
the  call   should   also   sound  the   invitation 
further  and  say,  Come.    All  who  are  athirst 
and  all  who  will,  may  take  of  the  water  of 
life  freely.    Who  will  say,  "I  was  not  bidden 
to  come  to  this  water  of  life?"     No  one 
indeed  will  be  able  to  say  that.    He  will  be 
speechless  at  the  judgment  bar  of  God.    His 
conscience   will    remind    him   with    a    sore 
accusation.     '*I  was  invited.     The  wedding 
robe  also  was  offered  to  me.     All  things 
were    ready    for   me    and   all   things   were 
offered  to  me  freely;  not  a  word  can  I  say." 

18,  19.  I  testify  unto  every  man  that  heareih 
the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book,  If  any 
man  shall  add  unto  them,  God  shall  add  unto 
him  the  plagues  which  are  written  in  this  book:  19 
and  if  any  man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of 
the  book  of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his 
part  from  the  free  of  life,  and  out  of  the  holy  city, 
which  are  written  in  this  book. 

It  is  Jesus  Himself  speaking  here  from 
the  sixteenth  to  the  twentieth  veises. 


374  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

20.     He  who  testifieth  these  things  saith,  Yea: 
I  come  quickly. 

Now  the  apostle  John  adds: 

20,    2L      Amen:     come,    Lord   Jesus.      21    The 
grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  be  with  the  saints.     Amen. 

General  Remarks 

This  book  of  the  Revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  unlike  any  other  book  in  the  Bible 
in  this  respect  that  God  Himself  appears  in 
the  front  as  speaker:  "He  that  hath  an  ear, 
let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  to  the 
churches."  In  the  epistles  we  read, — The 
Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Romans;  The  Epistle 
of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians;  to  the  Gala- 
tians,  and  so  on,  whereas  this  Revelation 
reveals  the  Father  in  heaven  as  the  author, 
chapter  1:1,2.  He  gave  it  to  His  Son,  Jesus 
Christ,  Jesus  gave  it  to  the  angel,  and  the 
angel  to  the  Apostle  John,  who  received  it 
on  the  Isle  of  Patmos  where  he  was  ban- 
ished by  the  Roman  Emperor.  But  God, 
who  glorifies  Himself,  even  through  the 
works  of  the  devil,  gave  the  Church  the 
greatest  armor  of  victory  over  the  devil  and 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  375 

his  servants  on  Patmos,  through  John  in  his 
banishment.  It  is  wonderful  how  God  al- 
ways comforts  His  own  in  the  time  when 
the  enemy  seems  to  prevail  over  the 
people  of  God.  When  Israel  had  lost  their 
kingdom  and  were  in  the  prison  of  Babylon 
because  of  their  disobedience  to  God,  yet 
even  then  in  that  state,  God  revealed  to  His 
faithful  servant  Daniel  the  sure  victory  of 
His  people  and  the  certain  defeat  and 
complete  fall  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world.  So  we  have  the  prophecies  of 
Daniel  and  of  the  other  prophets  as  a  great 
light  for  us  to  look  to.  As  the  apostle 
Peter  says,  when  he  spoke  of  the  coming  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  in  His  kingdom:  "And  we 
have  the  Word  of  prophecy  more  sure  [as 
our  experience  of  the  mount  of  transfigura- 
tion when  we  saw  His  glory],  whereunto  ye 
do  well  that  ye  take  heed,  as  unto  a  lamp 
shining  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day  dawn 
and  the  day  star  arise  in  your  hearts*'  (II 
Peter  1:19).  A  great  blessing  is  therefore 
resting  upon  those  who  take  heed  to  the 
sure  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  but  a 


376  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

Still  greater  blessing  rests  upon  the  ones 
who  read,  hear  and  keep  these  words  of 
prophecies  in  the  book  of  Revelation.  The 
Spirit  Himself  says:  "Blessed  is  he  that 
readeth  and  they  that  hear  the  words  of  the 
prophecy,  and  keep  the  things  that  are 
written  therein:  for  the  time  is  at  hand." 
And  again  in  the  last  chapter,  like  in  the 
first:  "And  he  [the  angel]  said  unto  me, 
These  words  are  faithful  and  true:  and  the 
Lord,  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  the  prophets, 
sent  His  angel  to  show  unto  his  servants  the 
things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass. 
And  behold,  I  come  quickly.  Blessed  is  he 
that  keepeth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of 
this  book."  What  more  do  we  want  than 
what  is  said  here  in  regard  to  our  work  and 
in  regard  to  the  time  of  the  fulfillment  of 
these  words?  He  who  has  spoken  here  is 
the  highest  authority;  for  it  is  the  Spirit 
Himself  that  speaks,  even  the  honored 
Apostle  John  is  put  in  the  rear  and  the 
Spirit  of  the  Father  takes  His  place  in  the 
front  as  speaking  to  the  Church  and  to  all 
people  through  these  words  which  John  was 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  377 

to  write  and  send  to  the  churches.  Let  the 
Church  therefore  not  be  led  away  from 
these  words  of  prophecy  and  greatest  in- 
heritance willed  unto  us  by  the  Fathe 
through  the  merits  of  His  dear  Son,  our 
Savior,  Jesus  Christ. 


PERSONAL  TESTIMONY 

Before  closing  this  book,  the  author  is 
prompted  to  give  his  personal  testimony  in 
honor  to  Christ;  how  God  through  faith 
and  the  knowledge  of  His  Word  has  saved 
him  from  the  power  of  Satan  and  delivered 
him  out  of  many  waters.  I  give  witness 
that  God's  Word  is  a  perfect  remedy  of  sal- 
vation and  victory  over  sin,  the  flesh,  the 
world,  the  devil,  and  from  sickness  and 
death  unto  life.  Well  do  I  remember  the 
time  when  God  first  forgave  my  sin  and 
healed  my  body  instantly  as  well,  while 
under  the  care  of  physicians.  Well  do  I 
remember  the  time  when  at  last  I  made  a 
complete  surrender  to  Christ's  will  and  to 
preach  His  Gospel  (for  which  I  was  called), 
how  I  received  the  Holy  Spirit  and  rejoiced 
in  having  the  witness  that  I  was  God's  child 
and  His  accepted  servant.  But  well  do  I 
also  remember  the  time  later  on  when  the 
enemy  got  the  upper  hand  over  me.  I  was 
deceived  and  was  unable  to  clearly  discern 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  379 

God's  will,  and  that  led  to  neglect  in  the 
service  of  my  dear  Master.  As  a  result  of 
that,  great  darkness  came  over  me  so  that  I 
dwelt  in  a  land  of  midnight  instead  of  in  the 
day.  I  went  downward  from  step  to  step 
until  I  was  really  possessed  of  an  evil  spirit 
who  held  me  bound  in  such  a  bondage  that 
I  was  his  slave.  Having  become  discour- 
aged in  my  faith  and  service  to  Christ  and 
casting  myself  over  to  the  will  of  the  flesh, 
he  entered  into  my  heart  and  became  my 
master.  I  had  lost  all  faith  and  hope  for 
my  salvation.  No  faith  or  hope  of  ever 
getting  into  heaven,  but  sealed  under  un- 
belief. I  thought  I  was  doomed  to  hell  for- 
ever. This  was  now  my  lot, — in  discourage- 
ment to  the  despair  of  my  life,  because  also 
of  poverty  in  temporal  things  and  weakness 
in  body;  besides  the  burden  of  a  melan- 
choly spirit  and  the  awful  accusations  from 
the  enemy  pointing  me  continually  to  my 
failures  in  life  and  the  shame  upon  my 
family;  that  if  death  should  come,  there 
would  be  no  money  in  our  possession  to 
bury  me.    While  in  this  state  of  discourage- 


380  LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 

ment,  how  the  enemy  brought  thoughts  to 
my  mind  to  provide  for  the  coming  shame 
upon  my  dear  wife  and  five  small  children 
by  getting  my  life  insured  or  to  join  a 
secret  or  non-secret  society  for  support, 
thus  taking  flesh  for  my  arm!  It  seemed 
that  God  had  cast  me  aside  and  therefore  I 
must  look  to  man  for  help.  The  enemy 
showed  me  the  poorhouse,  the  insane  asy- 
lum, the  coffin,  death,  and  hell.  He  would 
say,  'Tou  are  lost  anyway;  you  might  just 
as  well  do  like  the  world  does.  God  has 
forsaken  you."  Yet  at  times  I  would  get  a 
drop  of  God's  mercy,  assuring  me  that 
God's  Spirit  had  not  left  me  altogether. 
This  saved  me  from  going  to  the  world 
altogether.  My  deliverance  came  from  Him 
who  had  the  right  to  claim  me  because  of 
His  blood  by  which  I  was  bought.  I  had 
lost  all  faith  in  His  mercy  to  me,  hut  praise 
God  He  Himself  had  not  lost  faith  for  me. 
The  righteous  advocate  at  the  right  hand  of 
God's  throne  in  heaven  believed  and  prayed 
for  my  deliverance.  The  devil  was  de- 
feated    The  evil  spirit  had  to  depart.    The 


THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION  381 

precious  promises  of  God's  Word  came  to 
my  mind  and  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit  like  a 
life  line  drawing  me  out  of  the  deep  pit  into 
which  I  had  fallen  through  doubt  in  His 
Word,  and  disobedience  in  His  service.  I 
reconsecrated  myself  to  His  service  and 
have  been  praising  Him  for  years.  The 
above  frightening  thoughts  of  the  enemy 
proved  to  be  all  lies,  but  God's  precious 
promises  became  true.  "I  will  not  leave 
thee  nor  forsake  thee."  ''But  as  for  me,  I 
will  look  unto  Jehovah;  I  will  wait  for  the 
God  of  my  salvation:  my  God  will  hear  me. 
Rejoice  not  against  me,  O  mine  enemy: 
when  I  fall,  I  shall  arise,  when  I  sit  in  dark-, 
ness,  Jehovah  will  be  a  light  unto  me.  1 
will  bear  the  indignation  of  Jehovah,  be- 
cause I  have  sinned  against  him,  until  he 
plead  my  cause,  and  execute  judgment  for 
me:  he  will  bring  me  forth  to  the  light,  and 
I  shall  behold  his  righteousness"  (Micah 
7:7-9). 


TPie  following  scripture  passages  from  the  other 
books  of  the  Bible  are  quoted  or  referred  to  in  this- 
book  to  explain  Revelation. 


Page 


Page 


GENESIS 

NUMBERS 

8:18-22 

83 

22—25 

4? 

9:1-17 

83 

31:15,  16 

43 

2:1-3 

324 

31:8 

43 

2:17 

358 

13:1,  2 

158 

EXODUS 

JOSHUA 

19:5,  6 

19 

6:13,  20 

158 

28:40-43 

88 

I   SAMUEL 

40:7,  12 

96 

15 

31 

19:6 

106 

15:23 

350 

^      32:31-33 
8:22,  23 
10:15 
4:22 

106 
130 
164 
194 

II  SAMUEL 
7:16,  17 
7:16 

107 
328 

13:17,  18 

216 

I  KINGS 
11 

31 

32 :25-29 

258 

14:19-24 

10:7 

12:23 

263 

272 
278 

22:13-23 
2:4 
8:25 

230 
334 
334 

24:9,   10 

316 

9:1-9 

334 

LEVITICUS 

II    CHRONICLES 

9 

152 

4:2,  6 

96 

6:24-30 

259 

16:9 

20O 

10:16-18 

259 

NEHEMIAH 

26:38-45 

296 

1 

THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION 


383 


Page 


Page 


PSALMS 

EZEKIEL 

2 

22 

36:33,  36 

59 

2:8 

171 

2—3 

80 

69:11 

182 

1—11 

98 

32:8 

200 

9:4-6 

126 

2:8 

318 

48 

131 

132:11 

328 

2:8-10 

176 

89:34-45 

330 

3:1-4 

176i 

132:11,  12 

334 

16:41 

245 

ISAIAH 

21:27 
47:1-9 

289 
348 

61:10 

23 

53:6 

84 

DANIEL 

9:6,  7 

108 

7 

90 

45:25 

132 

7:25 

180 

63:1-3 

142 

12:1-3 

210 

53:4,    5 

144 

10:12,  13 

210 

53:4,    5 

145 

7 :24-27 

224 

41:14,  15 

151 

8:23-25 

224 

9:6,    7 

223 

3  :26-30 

231 

63:1-6 

256 

6:25-37 

231 

61 :10 

276 

7:13,14,26,27 

274 

1:18 

314 

10:12,    13 

278 

27:1 

323 

1:2 

294 

9:6,    7 

328 

9 

296 

11 

331 

7:13,  14 

319 

JEREMIAH 

JOEL 

/ 

17:5-8 

41 

2 :28-32 

155 

51 :25,  26 

289 

AMOS 

51 :6-9 

302 

3:7 

12 

50:39,  40 

305 

3:7 

187 

1:18 

306 

9:11,  12 

330 

33  :24-26 

330 

JONAH 

15:16 

359 

1 :7-16 

54 

384 


LIGHT    AND    LIFE    FROM 


Page 


Page 


ZECHARIAH 

LUKE 

4:14 

182 

15 

75 

3:4 

211 

23:30 

122 

MATTHEW 

21:36 

129 

25:1-13 

22 

14:16-24 

313 

28:19,  20 

64 

15:11-24 

313 

23:9 

83 

1 :31-33 

329 

27:52,   53 

91 

JOHN 

24:29,  30 

122 

14:21,  23 

15 

8:13-17 

144 

15:12,   13 

15 

24:22 

172 

14:21 

30 

5  :33-36 

173 

6 :48-58 

34 

17:10-12 

187 

8:51 

34 

27:52,  53 

206 

11:26 

34 

24.:24 

215 

12:48 

52 

24:24 

224 

5:34 

64 

4:8-10 

224 

6:28,  29 

128 

28:18-20 

229 

11:52 

135 

5  :33-37 

236 

15:2 

155 

21:43 

246 

14:12 

186 

22:  11-13 

276 

6:49,  51 

190 

5  :31-40 

299 

15:2 

204 

19:3-9 

299 

20:30,  31 

233 

22:1-14 

313 

15:12,  13 

259 

7:2 

321 

14:2,  3 

19:30 

327 

6:48-58 

359 

23:38,  39 

329 

8:51 

359 

25:31-45 

338 

11:26 

359 

MARK 

1:1-3 
7:38,  39 

361 
362 

16:16 

20 

ACTS 

16:16 

85 

2:17,   18 

21 

4:28 

221 

15:28-30 

48 

i-y,  8 

244 

16:4.  5 

49 

THE    BOOK    OF    REVELATION 


385 


Page 

Page 

^     15:13-18 

222 

12:1-4 

81 

^  _     2:37-39 

226 

5:19 

84 

16:29-34 

226 

5:19 

134 

6:15 

312 

S:U4 

142 

2:37-39 

315 

3:18 

199 

15:14-18 

330 

4:6      - 

199 

5rMl 

351 

-     6:14-18 

248 

r         8:21-23 

351 

5  :19 

265 

4:12 

369 

GALATIANS 

ROMANS 

6:7     ":. 

123 

4:4 

20 

3:23-25 

179 

8:17 

36 

-        4 :26 

208 

7:4-6 

51 

6:7 

348 

4:5 

143 

EPHESIANS 

7:1-4- 

216 

6:10,  11 

212 

9:1-3 

248 

PHILIPPIANS 

16:20 

323 

^      3:20,  21' 

25 

8:19-22 

331 

^      3:10-15 

138 

5  :19 

369 

-      3:7-16     : 

183 

I   CORINTHIANS 

2:5-11 

193 

"   -    15:51 
3:16 

156 
179 

2:4 
2:12 

237 
349 

15:52 

196 

COLOSSIANS 

•     14:34,  37 

202 

3:2 

355 

1 :10-13 

245 

I  THESS. 

3:10-17 

245 

4:15-18 

22 

7:10,  11 

299 

4:17 

214 

11:29,  30 

360 

4:15-18 

263 

2:9,   10 

363 

II  THESS. 

II  CORINTHIANS 

2:1-12 

222 

6:14-18 

41 

2:1-12 

224 

7:1 

41 

2:11,  12 

225 

386  LiGHiT    AND    LIFE    FROM^ 


Page 

Page 

2:7-12 

232 

5:12 

236 

2:7-12 

233 

5:12 

299 

2:8 

321 

HEBREWS 

I  TIMOTHY 

4:3 

18 

2:5 

90 

10:14 

19 

2:12-15 

202 

3:15-19 

19 

II  TIMOTHY 
2:5 
2:19-21 

32 

55 

2:9,   14,    15 

12 :3 
10:35-37 
12:9,  10 

26 
66 
66 
83 

II  PETER 
3:10 

337 

10:17 
10:1 

84 
88 

1:19 

375 

8:5 

88 

I  JOHN 

9:23,  24 

88 

2:10,  11 

16 

10:19-22 

143 

3:16 

16 

10:22 

145 

4:1-4 

44 

1:14 

148 

3:16 

248 

1:2 

171 

3:16 

259 

12:18-29 

218 

2:22 

372 

2:3 

348 

JAMES 

11:9,  10,  16 

355 

4:4 

44 

11:3 

361 

5:7 

153 

10:22 

371 

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